Foraging, building resilience.
I certainly hope my greatest fears are not realised but with the way events in the Middle East are shaping up, I continue to urge everyone to build up resilience and work on enhancing practical life skills, sounds like Doomsday stuff but if we look on the positive side, it can be a delicious and fun adventure too.
Yesterday, I went for another wander through the fields and along the wild hedgerows to do a bit of foraging . The May bush or Hawthorn is still in bloom, a profusion of white flowers and still tender leaves. Bet you didn’t know that you can scatter them into your green salad, turns out that they are hugely beneficial for our cardiovascular system. Check out the research.
Young nettles are at their most delicious now too, pick them with gloves and cook like spinach and add a bit of garlic. Add to mashed potato for Nettle champ, use for a topping for pizza with goat cheese as Alice Waters does at Chez Panisse – the heat of the pizza oven removes the sting and makes the nettles deliciously crispy. Add to pasta with lots of cream and a generous grating of Parmesan or just make a big pot of nettle soup.
Nettles are super nutritious. Our grandparents were well aware of their medical properties,” Eat three feeds of nettles during the month of May” to cleanse the blood and top up iron levels after the long winter months. They were often referred to as a ‘spring tonic’ or ‘internal spring cleaning’. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, scarce trace elements and apparently brilliant to ease arthritis and creaky joints.
Terrific, particularly at this time of year when our immune systems could do with a boost.
Along the seashore, sea spinach is at its best. It’s more robust than garden spinach but, oh, how delicious.
One can cook it just like annual or perennial spinach, but it will take a little longer. Anoint it with lots of butter or extra-virgin olive oil and a generous grating of fresh nutmeg. Here’s a recipe for sea spinach soup, a gem that can also be adapted for nettles or watercress.
There are lots of fresh cleavers too, nicknamed (sticky Willie). Just cover with boiling water to make an infusion to sip, it acts as a natural detox, helps to flush out the kidneys and urinary tract. Fresh dandelion leaves are also a powerful diuretic, nibble one leaf a day, great if you have a urinary infection.
So many wild foods particularly greens are at their very best at present, young ground elder leaves have a particularly appealing flavour. Little sprigs
of young growth are great in salads and will also liven up a restaurant menu.
By the way, also good added to soup, mashed potatoes etc., just like nettles or chopped into a quiche.
Try this Foragers Quiche, it’ll probably taste different every time you make it, depending on your mix of young wild things.
But back to a more sober note. Buy a really good Foraging Book and learn about the myriads of edible wild foods around us, free for the gathering.
Enjoy foraging on land and seashore whenever you can. Very soon, where others may just see a profusion of weeds, you’ll see a nourishing and delicious dinner… Wild foods still have their full complement of vitamins and minerals and trace elements unlike much of fresh foods on our shelves. Teach your children also how to recognise edible food in the wild. A walk in the countryside or by the seashore will never be the same again. Enjoy.

Sea Spinach and Rosemary Soup

The trick with these green soups is not to add the greens until the last minute, otherwise they will overcook, and the soup will lose its fresh taste and bright green colour. For a simple spinach soup, omit the rosemary and add a little freshly grated nutmeg with the seasoning.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

50g butter

110g onion, peeled and chopped

150g potatoes, peeled and chopped

600ml homemade chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

425-600ml creamy milk (1/4 cream and 3/4 milk)

salt and freshly ground pepper

225-350g sea spinach, destalked and chopped

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)

Garnish

2 tbsp whipped cream (optional)

sprig of rosemary or rosemary flowers

Method

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. When it foams add the onions and potatoes and turn them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

Add the boiling stock and milk, bring back to the boil and simmer until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the sea spinach and boil with the lid off for about 3-5 minutes, until the sea spinach is tender. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour.  Add the chopped rosemary if using. Liquidise and taste. 

Serve in warm bowls garnished with a blob of whipped cream and a sprig of rosemary. If you have a pretty rosemary bush in bloom, sprinkle a few flowers over the top for extra pzazz.

Useful Tip

If you need to reheat a green soup, do so at the last minute. If it sits in a bain-marie or hostess trolley it will lose its lively colour. Use mustard greens or a proportion of mustard greens, red Russian kale is also delicious.

Accompaniments: crusty bread or Cheddar cheese scones.

Foragers Quiche

This tart incorporates many of my favourite wild foods from early spring with the first of the spring onions of the season. Feel free to vary the greens depending on season and availability, the flavour will be a surprise every time.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Pastry

225g flour

a pinch of salt

110g butter

1 egg, beaten

Filling

150g young nettles or a mixture of nettles and sea spinach

25g butter

25g spring onions

10g watercress or wild garlic leaves in season (allium ursinum)

flaky sea salt and fresh ground pepper

3 organic eggs

100ml milk

250ml crème fraîche

grated zest from one organic lemon

1 tablespoon thyme leaves

25g chives

50g grated Parmesan

50g grated Gruyère

pinch of cayenne

1 x 23cm quiche tin

Method

First make the shortcrust pastry. 

Sieve the flour and salt 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, wrap the pastry in parchment paper and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.

Next, line the tart tin with the pastry. Chill and rest. Line with parchment paper, fill with beans and, in a preheated moderate oven 180°C/Gas Mark 4, blind bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool.

Meanwhile, blanch the nettles in boiling, salted water for a minute. Drain and refresh under cold water, drain again and chop. Destalk and chop the sea spinach if using and add to the nettles.

Melt the butter in a sauté pan over a gentle heat. Add the spring onions and sweat for 4 or 5 minutes. Add the watercress or wild garlic and well-drained nettles or sea spinach (if using). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to mix and remove from the heat.

Whisk the egg in a bowl with the milk and crème fraîche. Add the finely grated lemon zest, thyme leaves, chives and grated cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and a little cayenne.

Add the greens. Taste and correct the seasoning. (I find it really worthwhile to cook off a spoonful of the mixture in a frying pan to check the seasoning.)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Pour or spoon into the tart shell and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the tart is set and slightly gold. Remove from the tin. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature with a little grating of Parmesan on top.

Nettle Champ

Nettles have been valued in Ireland since ancient times not only as a food, but also as a purifier of the blood. The belief is still strong particularly among older people in the country that one should have at least three dinners of nettles in April and May to clear the blood and keep away the ‘rheumatics’ for the coming year. Remember to use gloves to pick up stinging nettles.

Serves

Ingredients

675g old potatoes, e.g. Golden Wonders

25-30g chopped nettle (50g starting weight before destalking)

300ml milk

25-50g butter

salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Scrub the potatoes and cook in boiling salted water until tender.

Meanwhile, chop the young nettle tops and cook in the milk for approx. 20 minutes.

As soon as the potatoes are cooked, drain and peel immediately while they are still hot. Mash until soft and free of lumps. Pour in the boiling milk, add the nettles and a good lump of butter, beat until soft and creamy. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Serve hot with a lump of butter melting into the centre.

The fresh peas are ready to harvest. They are my special excitement for this week. They are crazily romping up the bamboo teepee in the greenhouse.
Have you ever had the opportunity to pluck peas straight off the vine, Magic…
I’ve always taken this for granted but now realise that many have never seen peas in anything but a plastic bag in the freezer.
Never had the joy of opening a pea pod and popping the sweet juicy peas straight into ones mouth.
Eating freshly picked peas directly from the pod is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

No idea how to open a pea pod? You’re not the only one, I’ve seen folks go at them with a knife and fork!
I love to put a bowl of freshly picked peas on the table for guests to eat raw and open themselves, you can’t imagine the thrill and excitement. For some, it’s a joyful trip down memory lane, for others it’s a new adventure, a new mind blowing discovery.
We sow the first crop with the students at the end of January. They take over four months to grow and be ripe enough to harvest so they don’t get to eat them, but the summer students have the pleasure. There’s still time to sow another batch, they should be ready to harvest by the end of August
One can start to pick them as soon as the pods begin to form at the ‘mange tout’ stage. Enjoy warm or plunge them into cold water to add to salads.

Cook fresh peas in boiling salted water, drain, taste and don’t hesitate to add a generous pinch of sugar if necessary, particularly if they are not freshly picked, the fresher they are, the sweeter the taste. And of course, a blob of butter or a generous glug of extra-virgin olive oil for extra deliciousness.

Once again children are intrigued that peas come from the garden not from a packet on the freezer aisle in the supermarket. We look forward all year to seeing our grandchildren running up and down the rows of peas with their friends, carefully picking so they don’t damage the vine. We have so many favourite pea recipes, and several delicious pea soups.

This pea and coriander soup can be served hot or chilled in the summer. It also freezes as well and it’s super quick to make.

Top Tip.

You can actually use best quality frozen peas if you haven’t got fresh ones.
Peas chargrilled in the pod are also delicious. One can do the same with broad beans in their pods. Madhur Jaffrey shared this recipe for green peas and coconut with us, delicious on its own, but we love it served with a butterflied leg of lamb as she did.

For a special treat, try this lobster recipe, a legacy from my lovely friend Skye Gyngell who passed away earlier this year. A much loved beautiful generous cook whom we all miss so much but she lives on in her recipes.

Pea, Chilli and Coriander Soup

This utterly delicious soup has a perky zing with the addition of fresh chilli.

Serves 6 approximately

Ingredients

900ml homemade chicken stock

450g peas (good quality frozen are fine)

50g butter (or use 2 tbsp of sunflower oil)

150g onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp approx. chopped fresh coriander

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

Garnish

softly whipped cream

fresh coriander leaves

Method

Bring the chicken stock to the boil.

Melt the butter on a gentle heat add the onion, garlic and chilli.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sweat for 3-4 minutes.  Cover with the hot stock. Bring to the boil with the lid off, add the peas and cook for 3-4 minutes approximately or until the peas are just tender.  Add the coriander and liquidise.  Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar, which enhances the flavour even further.  Serve with a swirl of softly whipped cream and a few fresh coriander leaves sprinkled over the top.

Note – Serving Suggestion

Pea Soup

To serve, put a few fresh peas and pea shoots into a wide soup bowl.  Put the soup in a jug – each guest pours soup into the bowl themselves.

Variation

Pea and Bacon Soup

Add a few tiny crispy lardons of bacon to the peas.

Chilled Pea and Coriander Soup

This soup is also good chilled but be particularly careful not to overcook.  The texture should be smooth and silky, the consistency should be thin so add a little more stock if necessary.

N.B. cold soups should be served in small, chilled bowls. 

Skye Gyngell’s Lobster with Peas, Fennel and Verjus Dressing

A gorgeous combination from lovely Skye, a special treat. We remember her so fondly.

Serves 2 as a main course and 4 as a starter

Ingredients

2 very fresh live lobsters (each weighing approximately 500g

1 fennel bulb

the juice of ½ lemon

a handful of peas

mild tasting extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

a small handful of any lovely young lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

1 medium bunch of chervil, leaves only

1 small bunch of purple basil, leaves only

For the Dressing

1 small organic free-range egg yolk

3/4 tsp honey

1 tbsp verjus

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

a pinch of salt

100ml mild tasting extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp crème fraîche

Method

Start by making the dressing.

Place the egg yolk, honey, verjus, mustard and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Very slowly drizzle and whisk continously until emulsified. It is exactly the same process as for making mayonnaise.  Once the oil is incorporated, you will have a thick emulsified sauce.  Add the crème fraîche and stir well to combine. The dressing should just drop from a spoon – if it is a little too thick simply add a tablespoon or so of water (at room temp). taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Set aside while you cook the lobster.

Place a large pot of well-salted water on to boil.  It should be almost as salty as the sea. When it has reached a rolling boil, drop in the lobsters and cook for 8 minutes exactly (this is important as overcooked lobster meat is not good!).  Remove with a pair of tongs and set aside until cool enough to handle.

To remove the meat from the shell first twist off the claws and tap the thickest part of these with a rolling pin to crack them open.  Gently remove the claw shell leaving the flesh intact if possible and reserve.  Now lay the body on its back on a board and using a very sharp large knife cut through the middle of the soft underbelly to slice the tail meat in half lengthways. You should then be able to remove the outer shell easily (it’s a bit like taking off a coat). Season the flesh with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

Remove the tough outer leaves of the fennel bulb, then cut in half lengthways, and slice as finely as possible.  Squeeze over a little lemon juice to prevent discolouration.

Pod the peas. Place on a pot of water to boil. Season generously with salt.  Once the water has boiled add the peas and cook for approximately 2 minutes, drain and drizzle with a little olive oil.

To assemble the dish.

Place the peas and fennel in a bowl and dress with a little extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper.  Toss together lightly with your fingers to dress the vegetables.  Add the lobster meat, lettuce leaves, chervil and basil and toss once more. 

Arrange prettily on a plate and spoon some verjus dressing over the top. Serve the excess dressing in a bowl on the side. Serve at once.

Green Peas with Coconut and Coriander

Madhur Jaffrey shared this recipe with us when she taught a class here at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in 2001. Delicious on its own or as a side with a roast shoulder of lamb or pork.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

3 tbsp vegetable oil

a generous pinch of ground asafoetida (optional)

1 tsp brown mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

15 fresh curry leaves

285g shelled fresh or defrosted frozen peas

1-2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp caster sugar

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

75g freshly grated coconut

3 tbsp very finely chopped fresh coriander

Method

Put the oil in a large frying pan and set over medium-high heat.  When hot, put in the asafoetida and, a second later, the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.  As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop – a matter of seconds – put in the curry leaves.  Stir for a second, then put in the peas, chillies, salt, sugar, turmeric, ground cumin and ground coriander.  Stir for 1 minute or until the peas turn bright green.  Add 4 tablespoons of water and bring to the boil.  Turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes, or until the peas are tender.  Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the coconut and fresh coriander.  Stir, boiling away any extra water.  Serve.

We’re almost out of the ‘hungry gap’, that’s the six or eight weeks between mid-March and early June, depending on the year.
The gap happens when the weather begins to warm up and the overwintered vegetables start to ‘bolt’ (go to seed) but the spring plantings aren’t yet mature enough to eat.
Historically, this was a time of genuine scarcity and often hunger, but today, most people in their busy lives are totally unaware of a ‘hungry gap’, because the supermarket shelves are packed with produce year-round.
At present, between 80 and 85% of the fruit and vegetables on the shop shelves in this country are imported including significant quantities of crops that can easily be locally grown such as potatoes, onions and carrots even lettuce. In the region of 70% of organic vegetables bought by Irish consumers are also imported, while at the same time, Ireland is a major food exporter – how crazy is that!
It’s certainly worth reminding ourselves in the present global situation, that this high reliance on food imports makes Ireland extremely vulnerable to shocks.
There are now less than 70 commercial Irish vegetable growers as opposed to 600 in the year 2,000. A disastrous drop, make no mistake about it, this is a crisis…Recently, a large vegetable grower from County Kilkenny who supplied 12% of carrots for the Irish market went into liquidation. As long as the cheap food policy introduced by the government in 2006 which allows ‘below cost’ selling exists, this situation will continue.
There is unquestionably a cost of living crisis but how irresponsible is it to sacrifice one sector for another, particularly the sector that we rely on to feed and nourish us.
At this stage, we all seem to think that cheap food is our right but how dare we expect the very people who feed us to produce food below an economic level. Cheap food is a myth; the cost is simply too high in health terms and socio-economic terms. Apart from the unfairness, it’s incredibly shortsighted, we are all losers in the end. This is an issue that affects all of us. We need to make our voices heard and demand that the government brings in supports for the Irish horticultural sector as a matter of urgency.
Meanwhile, back to the end of the ‘hungry gap’. For those of us who grow some of our own produce, this is a hugely exciting time of the year. We’ve already enjoyed the outdoor seakale and are still harvesting asparagus. We have dug and given thanks for the first of the new potatoes which were sown in early January and grown without any chemicals or sprays in our greenhouse. The brilliant purple sprouting broccoli has also sustained us for the past few weeks. Beets are already golf ball size and so sweet and delicious. The first of the mangetout peas are ready to eat.
Yesterday evening, we had a delicious feast of broad bean tops which we picked off the plants to discourage black flies from munching them. One can of course enjoy them raw in salads but we cooked them in plenty of boiling salted water, tossed them with a big dollop of butter and a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. You can’t imagine how delicious they were. We served them as a side with a little spring lamb, but they’re also so good tossed with pasta or included in a frittata.
Love this pasta dish with asparagus and peas, but of course one can do many riffs on this recipe with sprouting broccoli, mangetout, beet greens, or broad bean tops.
Sorry to sound like a broken record, but I can’t help urging you all, yet again to think about growing a little of your own food, even if it’s only a seed tray of salad leaves on your windowsill, you can snip it over and over…hence the name ‘Cut and Come’. You’ll enjoy the magic of sowing a seed, wait for it to germinate and eventually grow into tender flavourful leaves to fill your salad bowl. You won’t want to waste a scrap, and it’ll be chemical-free as opposed to the majority of non-organic salad leaves…

Pasta with Asparagus and Peas

A perfect spring pasta dish, made in minutes. Also delicious with the first broad beans or zucchini in summer. If you don’t have fresh peas, use the best quality frozen peas.

Serves 4

Ingredients

250g asparagus

200g tagliatelle

200g peas

5g fresh mint leaves

10g fresh parsley leaves

300ml rich cream (not single)

30g butter

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

75g Parmesan (keep 25g for grating before serving)

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

lemon zest

Method

Bring two saucepans of water to the boil. Salt the large pan generously, the smaller one slightly less.

Trim the asparagus ends. Cut the spears into short lengths (about 3cm) at an angle.

When the water in the large pan is boiling, add the pasta and let it cook for 8-9 minutes or until al dente.

Add the asparagus to the smaller pan and let it cook for 5-6 minutes until almost tender, then remove with a slotted spoon, set aside. Bring the water back to the boil and tip in the peas, 2-3 minutes should be enough.

Finely chop the mint and parsley.

Drain the peas and add to the asparagus.

Drain the pasta lightly. Pour the cream back into the saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add the butter and olive oil, tip back in the pasta, add the peas and asparagus and herbs. Stir in the Parmesan, season generously with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and serve in shallow bowls. Serve immediately. with a little grating of lemon zest and Parmesan.

Roast Beetroot with Ardsallagh Goat Cheese and Balsamic Dressing and Wild Garlic Flowers

Serves 4

Ingredients

6-12 baby beetroot, a mixture of red, golden and Chioggia would be wonderful

rocket and beetroot leaves

extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

175g goat cheese – Ardsallagh or St. Tola

Maldon Sea Salt

freshly cracked pepper

tiny beet greens or wild garlic leaves and flowers if available

a few walnut halves (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 8

Roast the beetroot in the preheated oven until soft and cooked through – 30 minutes to an hour depending on size.

To Serve

Rub off the skins of the beetroot, keep whole or cut into quarters.  Toss in extra virgin olive oil.

Scatter a few rocket and tiny beetroot leaves on each serving plate.  Arrange a selection of warm beetroot on top.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.  Put a dessert spoonful of goat cheese beside the beetroot.  Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with tiny beet greens or wild garlic flowers and a few walnuts if using. Serve.

Asparagus, Wild Garlic, Rocket and Broad Bean Tops Frittata

This is an example of how we incorporate seasonal ingredients into a frittata.  Asparagus is an extra treat here; you can use any asparagus, but I tend to use the thin, weedy, but still delicious spears in frittata and to add to scrambled eggs.

Serves 6

Ingredients

225g asparagus

8 organic eggs

50g Parmesan or Pecorino or a mixture, freshly grated

2-3 tbsp roughly chopped wild garlic, rocket leaves, broad bean shoots or a combination

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

110g fresh Ardsallagh or St. Tola goat’s Cheese

To Serve

salad leaves, wild garlic and rocket

a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Garnish

wild garlic flowers (optional)

non-stick frying pan – 19cm bottom, 23cm top rim

Method

Bring about 2.5cm of water to the boil in an oval casserole.  Break off the tough ends of the asparagus, add 1 teaspoon of salt and blanch for 2-3 minutes until al dente.  Drain. Slice the spears at an angle, keeping 4cm at the top intact. Save for later.

Whisk the eggs together into a bowl.  Add the blanched asparagus, except the tops, most of the Parmesan and the chopped wild garlic, rocket leaves and/or broad bean shoots.  Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the egg mixture and reduce the heat to the bare minimum – use a heat diffuser mat if necessary. Drop little blobs of the goat’s cheese evenly around the surface of the frittata.  Arrange the asparagus tops into the frittata and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.  Continue to cook over a gentle heat for about 15 minutes until just set. 

Alternatively, after an initial 4 or 5 minutes on the hob you can transfer the pan to an oven (this is my preferred option), preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 for 10-15 minutes until just set.

Pop under a grill for a few minutes but make sure it is at least 12.5cm from the element.  It should be set and slightly golden.

Turn out onto a warm plate, cut into wedges and serve immediately with a salad of organic leaves, including wild garlic and rocket.  Grate some fresh Parmesan over the top just before serving. Garnish with wild garlic flowers, if available.

I’m loving València, my very first visit. The main purpose of this particular trip is to visit the Todolí Citrus Foundation (more later), about an hour outside the city on Saturday next, but I’ve decided to add on a few days to explore València and the surrounding area.
What a city, one of the oldest in Spain, it was founded by the Romans in 138 BC and has over 2,100 years of exciting history, heavily influenced by Islamic and Christian rule.
The 15th century, was the Golden Age, a period of intense economic and artistic splendour, the beautiful Silk Exchange, dates back to then, Longa de la Seda – a must visit as is the awe inspiring futuristic City of Arts and Sciences designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela.
València is one of the largest and best preserved historic centres in Europe, a maze of narrow, leafy cobblestone streets with hidden plazas and stunningly beautiful architectural masterpieces with huge entrances and courtyards. Our hotel, The Cato, in the old town is built on the remains of the Roman walls.
The beautiful València Cathedral, a mix of Gothic, Romanesque and Basque styles is just around the corner, one of over 40 prominent churches in the city, many built after the Christian conquest on the sites of former mosques.
When you’ve got your fill of culture, don’t miss the Mercat Central, one of the largest fresh produce markets in Europe, covering over 8,000 square ft and housing 400 plus stalls. The magnificent central dome floods the interior with natural light.   It’s a masterpiece of València modernism, completed in 1928.
There are an estimated 17 municipal markets in València. I managed to visit three and also loved the Ruzafa Market, particularly good for high-quality organic produce. Loved eating in the little market café where the stallholders have a hearty breakfast, many start with a glass of red wine, a little plate of olives, a pickled chilli and roasted peanuts, Pan con Tomate, grilled bread, crushed tomato and slivers of jamon.
The Rojas Clemente Market is much smaller but super chic, stalls also piled high with fresh produce, artisan cheeses, cured meats, butcher shops as ever selling every part of the animal from snout to tail, dry aged beef and cattle hooves, all ready to be transformed into hearty Spanish dishes.
The Fish market has a mesmerising catch of really fresh fish, octopus, cuttlefish, squid, round and flat fish, sardines, tuna, gurnard, huge red prawns, langoustines, tiger shrimps, scallops, oysters, cañaillas (sea snails, purple or spiny dye-murex).
We searched for Rossmore native oysters from Cork Harbour which the Spaniards prize highly. Many stalls open oysters, scallops, sea urchins and razor clams to eat on the spot with a glass of white wine or fino.
The Spaniards love to buy already roasted vegetables at the market, several stalls sell thick slices of pumpkin roasted in a wood burning oven with roasted seeds in the centre, roast onions, sweet potatoes, artichokes, apples, and pears, all ready to take home to enjoy. I longed to be able to chat to the stallholders to get a deeper understanding of the ingredients but my Spanish is dismal although I can read a menu in virtually every language!
Be SURE to buy some produce at the markets, don’t just take photos.
Bacalao, salt cod in its many iterations, is also a perennial favourite, as is bottarga (cured mullet roe).
I bought some and also little shreds of bacalao called bolsitas ingles to scatter over salads, some crispy cod skin (piel de bacalao) and cortezas (a Spanish snack made from pork rind). Not a scrap of the fish is wasted, not even the bones which are used to add body and soul to stocks, soups and many dishes.
We drove out through the national park to El Palmar to see the rice paddies. València is the paella capital of Spain, so many versions, some with a mixture of meat and shellfish, others with game e.g. rabbit, chicken and artichoke which we greatly enjoyed at Ca Pepico in Meliana. The rice paddies are empty at this time of the year but one can still take a boat trip through the rivers, dunes and lakes.
We found a traditional bakery called Horno Heladeria that also served the famous rice drink, horchata and fartons, the long, sweet breadsticks to use as dips. They also sold several local pastries including coca de pasas y nueceswhich I have since made at home, it looks like a flat plop but tastes delicious.
They are also a few examples of the traditional whitewashed barracas, steep thatched reed straw houses in the area of El Palmar.
We ate lots of delicious things in many Valèncian cafés, tapas bars and restaurants and my new obsession is sepia (cuttlefish). Look out for it in the English Market or at the Ballycotton Seafood. Love it dipped in a tempura batter or drizzled with aioli. Here’s the recipe for the coca de pasas y nueces which wins no prizes for elegance but tastes delicious. Also, a recipe for Pan al Tomate, my favourite Spanish breakfast and super easy to make while you’re still half-awake in the morning.

Pan con Tomate (Spanish-Style Grilled Bread with Tomatoes)

The first of the new seasons Valèncian tomatoes were piled up in the markets – pan con tomate is at its very best when tomatoes are super ripe and intensely flavoured at the end of Summer.

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 slices of best quality white bread, sliced 1cm thick

1 garlic clove, cut in half

2 medium, very ripe tomatoes (1 tomato per slice of bread) or 1 large Spanish heirloom tomato

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Spanish extra virgin olive oil

slivers of jamón (Spanish cured ham) (optional)

Method

Toast the bread. Rub with the cut half clove of garlic while still warm.

Grate the tomato down to its skin on the large side of an old-fashioned box grater. Season with flaky sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil you can find. Spread on the warm bread. Delicious as it is but even better with a few slivers of jamón on top.

Eat immediately.

Paella

In Spain one can buy a gas ring specially for cooking paella for a picnic, how wonderful would that be? This is just one of the myriads of paella recipes – great for a party.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

6 tbsp approximately of extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

1 large green pepper, cut into 1cm cubes

1 large red pepper, cut into 1cm cubes

8 cloves garlic, sliced

1 free-range organic chicken, jointed and cut into smallish pieces

225g organic streaky pork, cut into cubes

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tsp saffron

1kg paella rice (calasparra or acquerello) approximately (generous ½ cup per person)

1.8 – 2.4 litres homemade chicken stock (use more if needed)

1 chorizo sausage, sliced

450g frozen peas

450g mussels in shells

12 prawns in shells

Garnish

4 very ripe tomatoes

flat parsley sprigs and coarsely chopped chives

paella pan, 46cm approximately

Method

Put lots of olive oil in the paella pan.  Add the pork and cook for a few minutes until the fat begins to run. Add the garlic, onions and peppers.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the chicken.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Then add the sliced chorizo.

Sauté for 15 minutes, soak a teaspoon of saffron in a cup of warm chicken stock and stir around. Add to the pan. Add the rice. Add stock to almost cover, stir to blend and then don’t stir again unless absolutely necessary. Add the peas.

Bring to the boil and simmer really gently for about 20 minutes until the meat is cooked.  About 5 minutes from the end of cooking, add the mussels and the prawns in their shells. Continue to cook until the mussels open and the prawns are cooked.  Stand over it and move the ingredients around a little. Bring the paella pan to the table. Scatter with lots of flat parsley sprigs and some freshly chopped tomato and chives. Serve immediately directly from the pan. The crispy rice bits on the bottom of the pan are the best!

Fantastic to serve lots of people.

coca de pasas y nueces

A specialty of València, not sure what the Horno Heladeria recipe is but we tried this version and another without brandy and spice and they were both delicious – enjoy with a glass of sherry or a cup of tea….

Makes 4

Ingredients

80g milk

80g water

25g fresh yeast

30g honey

2 eggs

35g sunflower oil

500g strong white flour

100-150g granulated sugar

zest of 1 orange

pinch of salt

1 tsp mixed spice (optional)

100g raisins

50g brandy

75g fresh walnuts, chopped

walnut halves for the top of dough

Method

Soak the raisins in the brandy overnight

Next day, in a saucepan, gently warm the milk, water and honey. Transfer to a Pyrex jug and add the fresh yeast. Allow to sponge for 3-4 minutes until it appears active.  

Whisk the eggs and oil in a separate bowl.

Add all the dry ingredients except the raisins, brandy and walnuts to a bowl.

Once the yeast is ready, mix all the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients to make a dough. Knead for 10 minutes, then add in the raisins, brandy and walnuts and knead gently to combine. Pop into a clean bowl, cover and allow to rise in your kitchen until the dough has doubled in size.

‘Knock back’ and divide into four portions (260-270g balls), allow to rest for 4-5 minutes.  Shape into 15cm rounds x 1 1/2 cm thick approx. Transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. (In Spain, the coca’s are baked on a disc of rice paper). Allow to prove for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.

When ready to bake, brush lightly with egg wash. Arrange 6-8 walnut halves on top, slightly pushed into the dough and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes approx. until pale golden and slightly crunchy. Cool on a wire rack.

In the midst of that crazy April weather, showers, hail, wind, and occasional snatches of warm sunshine, I’ve been dreaming of BBQ, how crazy is that…
My sudden urge to grill is somewhat prompted by Jim Moore’s How To BBQ Everything book that landed on my desk.
Jim, who hails from Belfast, is an international barbecue judge and one of the best loved and respected barbecue boys on the UK circuit. He’s been posting his culinary escapades on social media @onlyslagging, since 2011 and now has over 2 million followers, so surely there must be something to look at here.
Sharing his passion for cooking over live fire, he draws his inspiration from his travels to America, Australia, Mexico, the Middle East and Europe, a melting pot of influences that add spice to the recipes so they are not only inspirational but realistic and achievable for the home cook, whether you’re cooking over fire or using a fancy state of the art grill.
Time to go rooting in the garage to retrieve the barbecue. Hopefully you weren’t too busy to give it a really thorough clean before you put it away last year, otherwise time to do a deep clean before the season gets started.
The extra brilliant thing about grilling is that many chaps who wouldn’t be caught dead in the kitchen, come to life when the word barbecue is mentioned.
The selection of grills and barbecue and fancy kit is mesmerising. A myriad of stand-alone, gas, charcoal, wood pellet or electric, plus kits to build a state of the art outdoor barbecue grill, rotisserie and smoker.
Choosing the right barbecue for you, depends on your specific needs and budget. Whether you a novice, embarking on your first grilling adventure or a seasoned BBQ nerd, as the saying goes, ‘there’s something for you’
Do you crave the rich smoky flavour of charcoal or maybe the convenience of a gas or electric barbecue or perhaps you are tempted by the versatility of a wood pellet grill.
Think about the unique benefits and limitations of each type and select one for your particular lifestyle.
My advice, particularly for beginners despite the temptation, is to keep it simple until you get the hang of it
I have several fancy barbecues but in the end my favourite is simply cooking over fire. How wonderful can a few sausages taste ‘en plein air’ on the beach?
I just make a circle of chunky stones, gather a bit of driftwood (or cheat and bring some kindling and a fire lighter!)
Don’t forget a box of matches and long handled tongs – I have a bokety old frying pan that does the job brilliantly. A pot of, ‘you know what’ relish and some real Colman’s mustard made from the powder in that iconic yellow tin add extra zing.
For a gathering of friends, you may want to have a selection of meats, fish, shellfish and vegetables but even if it’s just one choice item, it’s all about the seasonings and flavour enhancers – basic flaky sea salt, freshly cracked pepper and really good extra-virgin olive oil.
Marinades can be just  a quick dip or a lengthy overnight maceration depending on the size of the joint.
Could be a spice mix sprinkled on just before or after grilling and of course lots of sauces, salsas and salads for your guests to help themselves can transform something simple into a feast.
Marinades have three key elements:
Acids which tenderise – vinegar, citrus juice or natural yoghurt.
Oils to moisten, extra-virgin olive oil is my favourite.
Flavourings
Sweet – can be honey, maple syrup, pomegranate, molasses, sweet chilli sauce…
Savoury –  garlic, ginger,  lemongrass, lime leaves,  fresh woody herbs, rosemary, thyme, sage…
Experiment, share tips with your grilling buddies. Did you know that there’s a whole grilling slang out there to have fun with, check it out.
Meanwhile here’s a taste of some of the recipes in Jim Moore’s, How To BBQ Everything published by Ebury Press.
Happy grilling.

Buffalo Hot Wings

Sharp, buttery heat and fire-kissed crunch

Sticky, spicy and smoky, these Buffalo hot wings are the real deal. A hit of celery salt in the dry rub brings that traditional Buffalo wing flavour, while cooking over the fire adds depth and char. Tossed in a buttery hot sauce glaze and served with cooling ranch or blue cheese dressing, these are made for tearing into with messy fingers.

Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 1-4 hours marinating

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1.25kg chicken wings

For the Dry Rub

2 tsp celery salt

2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp black pepper

For the Buffalo Sauce

1 bottle Frank’s RedHot Sauce

1 tbsp honey

50g unsalted butter

To Serve

ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing

celery sticks

crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Method

Preparation.

Combine the celery salt with the white and black peppers. Toss the wings in the dry rub until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1-4 hours to absorb the flavours.

In a saucepan, whisk together the Frank’s sauce and honey. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the butter and cook until melted and slightly reduced – about 2 minutes. Set aside, reserving some in a bowl for dipping.

Set your barbecue for direct and indirect zones on a high heat (230–290°C).

Grill

Start the wings over direct heat to get some colour and char, turning occasionally. Move the wings to the indirect zone and cook with the lid closed until the internal temperature hits 75°C (but you may wish to push this to 85–90°C to achieve a nice crispy skin). Check the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer.

Serve

Just before serving, toss the hot wings in the warm Buffalo sauce. Serve immediately with a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing, celery sticks and crumble blue cheese on top, if you like.

Smoked Butter: Use smoked butter in your sauce for added depth.

Make It Spicier: Add dried chilli flakes or cayenne to the rub for extra heat.

Sweeten It Up: Mix in a dash of maple syrup or hot honey for a sweet-spicy twist.

Serve With: Blue cheese slaw, cornbread or loaded fries.

Smash Burgers

Juicy centres, heavy crusts, melty cheese and soft buns

There’s something primal and perfect about a smash burger, just pure beef, fire and technique. Born from the diners of the American Midwest, this burger style has taken on a life of its own over recent years, in backyard barbecues and food trucks around the globe.

What makes it so special? It’s all in the smash. By pressing a fatty meatball onto a blazing-hot griddle you create an unbeatable crust that locks in flavour while keeping the inside tender and juicy. No fillers. No fluff. Just beef, seasoning and heat.

This recipe celebrates that simplicity but leaves plenty of room to tune into your own, from adding smoked cheese to slipping in some jalapeño jam or swapping in a spicy aioli. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just craving a burger that bites back, this one never misses. Grab your spatula, it’s time to get smashing.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

100% beef mince (70:30 meat: fat ratio) ask your butcher to grind it fresh

BBQ rub or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

slices of your favourite cheese

Add-Ons

brioche buns, sliced in half

mayonnaise

lettuce

tomato slices

crispy bacon

sautéed mushrooms and onions

burger sauce

Method

Preparation

Form the meat into meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball (aim for 2 per smash burger).

Heat a cast-iron pan or griddle on the BBQ grill or hob until screaming hot – 240-290°C.

Grill

Place a meatball on the pan and smash down flat with a sturdy spatula – you want a thin patty with a deep sear, as that’s where the flavour lives. Season immediately with a BBQ rub or just salt and pepper. Don’t force the flip – when it’s seared properly, it’ll release on its own – about

60-90 seconds.

Flip, add your favourite cheese, and cover the grill to melt.

Serve

Layer up your burger: spread mayo on the bottom brioche bun, then top with lettuce, a thick beef tomato slice, 2 cheese-covered burger patties, some bacon, mushrooms, onions and burger sauce, then top off with the lid of the brioche bun.

Enjoy hot and juicy with napkins at the ready.

Smoke It Up: Add a touch of wood smoke by placing a small smoker box or wood chips on the grill.

Spicy Twist: Mix chopped jalapeños into the beef or top with pickled chilli.

Double Down: Go animal-style with grilled onions, secret sauce and a lettuce wrap.

Garam Masala Cauliflower Steaks with Mint Chutney and Pickled Onions

Fire-grilled veggie feasting at its finest. When you’re feeding a crowd and want to bring something bold and meat-free to the barbecue, these cauliflower steaks deliver in spades. Inspired by the punchy flavours of Indian tandoori cooking, but cooked over open flame, they’re smoky, spicy and beautifully charred on the outside while staying tender in the middle. I first threw these together on a whim at a summer barbecue and watched a table of meat-eaters go absolutely silent with the first bite – always a good sign! Serve them up with a zingy mint chutney, a pile of tangy pickled onions and warm naan to mop it all up. It’s a proper veggie centrepiece that brings the heat.

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour or overnight marinating

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large cauliflowers, leaves removed

200ml natural yoghurt or dairy-free alternative

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, finely grated

2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, freshly grated

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 ½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp cayenne pepper

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

olive oil, for brushing

For the Mint Drizzle

large handful of fresh mint leaves

small bunch of fresh coriander

1 green chilli, deseeded

juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp yoghurt

For the Pickled Onions

1 red onion, thinly sliced

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

To Serve

warm naan or flatbreads

fresh coriander

extra lime wedges

Method

Preparation

Slice each cauliflower from top to bottom into 2-3 thick steaks (about 3cm thick), keeping the core intact where possible to hold them together. Save any florets that fall off for grilling too.

For the marinade, whisk together the yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger and all the spices in a large bowl.

Season well with salt and pepper. Brush or spoon the marinade generously over both sides of each cauliflower steak. Place on a tray, cover, and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).

In a food processor or blender, combine all the mint drizzle ingredients and blitz until smooth. Adjust the flavour with lime juice and salt to taste.

Combine the sliced onion with vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Leave to sit and pickle while you finish the rest of the dish – 10-15 minutes is plenty.

Set your grill up for medium-high direct heat (180-230°C). Oil the grates well to prevent sticking.

Grill

Place the steaks directly over the heat. Grill for 5-6 minutes on each side until deeply charred and

fork-tender. Brush with a little oil as they cook and move to indirect heat if they start to catch too quickly.

Serve

Lay the grilled cauliflower steaks on a platter. Spoon over the mint drizzle, scatter with the pickled onions, and serve with warm naan on the side.

Finish with fresh coriander and extra lime wedges for squeezing.