I absolutely adore this time of year, everything in the garden is springing into life and the first of the new fruit and vegetables are just ready for picking. In the kitchen garden there are pale tender shoots of seakale hiding under the terracotta forcing pots and lots of delicate pink rhubarb stalks for tarts and compotes. Already we have had some spears of asparagus- just enough to have a tiny feast. 
Down in the wood the wild garlic has also made its appearance and we have been putting the tender leaves into green salads and soups and scattering the pretty white flowers as a garnish over salads and starters. However, the main excitement this week was when I took my reluctant and more than sceptical students on an expedition to gather young spring nettles and watercress to make soup. I cockily assured them that if one clasps the nettles firmly one doesn't get stung - 'We want a demonstration' they taunted, 'No problem' says yours truly who got roasted alive - Wow, Spring nettles really do sting! - so needless to say much hilarity at my expense so we quickly resorted to rubber gloves. - Here's our recipe for nettle soup which hopefully will purify the blood.
Watercress is much easier to pick, it can of course be bought in bunches in many supermarkets, but if you want to gather some yourself make sure the water in the stream is clean, no animals directly upstream. As children we always collected it in Spring, along the banks of the stream that flows through the Chapel meadows outside the village of Cullohill.

The water must be constantly flowing, watercress is packed with vitamins and minerals and its peppery taste is irresistible in salads as well as soups – its at its best and must succulent at present.
The main course for our Easter lunch has to be lamb. You’ll need to order young Spring lamb a week or two ahead – I know many people choose salmon or turkey for Easter, but for me it wouldn’t be Easter without sweet, succulent Spring lamb. You’ll need to order it ahead from your local butcher. Leg, loin or shoulder can be roasted, the latter is the most delicious of all, but more of a challenge to carve than the leg. 
Young carrots would be delish and if available the first Irish potatoes. If not, why, not make a gratin of potato and spring onion and cook it underneath the lamb so that all the juices are absorbed by the potato – saves making gravy too.

Use the first mint leaves to make a simple mint sauce. Serve a green salad of young Spring leaves – sorrel, rocket, watercress, claytonia or just mixed leaves. Scatter a few primrose flowers over the top to emphasise Spring – yes, they are edible and delicious too.
For pud for our Easter lunch – Rhubarb Tatin served with soft brown sugar and cream.
After all of that you’ll enjoy a long walk in the country or along your local strand.

Have fun and happy Easter.

Watercress or Nettle Soup

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

Many older people particularly still like to eat nettles several times during the month of May to purify the blood and keep away arthritis for the coming year.

Serves 6-8
12 ozs (45g) butter
5 ozs (140g) peeled and chopped potatoes
4 ozs (110g) peeled and chopped onion
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pint (600ml) water or home-made chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 pint (600ml) creamy milk
8 ozs (225g) chopped watercress or nettles (remove the coarse stalks)

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

Glazed Carrots

If you have never cooked carrots before you might like to try this method of cooking them. Admittedly it takes a little vigilance but the resulting flavour is a revelation to many people and you won’t cook them any other way again.

Serves 4-6
1 lb (450g) carrots, Early Nantes and Autumn King have particularly good flavour
½ oz (15g) butter
4 fl ozs (100ml) cold water
Pinch of salt
A good pinch of sugar
Garnish 
Freshly chopped parsley or fresh mint
Cut off the tops and tips, scrub and peel thinly if necessary. Cut into slices â…“ inch (7mm) thick, either straight across or at an angle. Leave very young carrots whole. Put them in a saucepan with butter, water, salt and sugar. Bring to the boil, cover and cook over a gentle heat until tender, by which time the liquid should have all been absorbed into the carrots, but if not remove the lid and increase the heat until all the water has evaporated. Taste and correct the seasoning. Shake the saucepan so the carrots become coated with the buttery glaze. 
Serve in a hot vegetable dish sprinkled with chopped parsley or mint.
Tip: It’s really important to cut the carrots into the same thickness, otherwise they will cook unevenly. 
You must keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn, particularly if its your first time. 

Roast Spring Lamb with Mint Sauce

Young Spring Lamb is sweet and succulent and needs absolutely no embellishment apart from a dusting of salt and pepper and a little fresh Mint Sauce.
For me this is the quintessential taste of Easter.

Serves 6-8
1 leg of Spring lamb
salt and freshly ground pepper
Gravy
1 pint (570ml) lamb or chicken stock
a little roux
salt and freshly ground pepper
Garnish
Sprigs of fresh mint and parsley
Mint Sauce 
If possible ask your butcher to remove the aitch bone from the top of the leg of lamb so that it will be easier to carve later, then trim the knuckle end of the leg. Season the skin with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put into a roasting tin.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4. Roast for 1-1¼ hours approx. for rare, 1¼ -1½ hours for medium and 1½- 2 hours for well done, depending on size. When the lamb is cooked to your taste, remove the joint to a carving dish. Rest the lamb for 10 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile make the gravy. Degrease the juices in the roasting tin, add stock. Bring to the boil and whisk in a little roux to thicken slightly. Taste and allow to bubble up until the flavour is concentrated enough. Correct the seasoning and serve hot.

Mint Sauce

Traditional Mint Sauce made with tender young shoots of fresh mint only takes minutes to make. Its the perfect accompaniment to Spring lamb but for those who are expecting a bright green jelly, the slightly dull colour and watery texture comes as a surprise. Thats how it ought to be, try it.

2 tablesp finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablesp. sugar
6-8 tablesp boiling water
2 tablesp. white wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice

Put the sugar and freshly-chopped mint into a sauce boat. Add the boiling water and vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to infuse for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Roux
4 ozs (110g) butter
4 ozs (110g) 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.

Gratin of Potato and Spring Onion

Potato gratins are a tasty, nourishing and economical way to feed lots of hungry people on a chilly evening, this recipe could also include little pieces of bacon or a lamb chop cut into dice, so it can be a sustaining main course or a delicious accompaniment as served here with Easter Lamb.

Serves 4 as a main course
Serves 6 as an accompaniment
3 lbs (1.5kg) 'old' potatoes, eg. Golden Wonders or Kerrs Pinks
2 bunches of spring onions
1 oz (30g) butter
3-6 ozs (85-170g) Irish mature cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2-: pint (300-450ml/13-1: cups) homemade chicken, beef or vegetable stock
Oval ovenproof gratin dish - 122 inch (31.5cm) long x 2 inch (5cm) high
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/regulo 6. 

Slice the peeled potatoes thinly, blanch and refresh. Trim the spring onions and chop both the green and white parts into approx. 3 inch (5mm) slices with a scissors or a knife.

Rub an oven proof dish thickly with half the butter, scatter with some of the spring onions, then a layer of potatoes and then some grated cheese. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Continue to build up the layers finishing with an overlapping layer of potatoes, neatly arranged. Pour in the boiling stock, scatter with the remaining cheese and dot with butter.

Bake in a preheated oven for 1-13 hours or until the potatoes are tender and the top is brown and crispy.

Note: It may be necessary to cover the potatoes with a paper lid for the first half of the cooking.

Rhubarb Tarte Tatin

This delectable tart is an adaptation of a traditional recipe which was originally cooked in a bastable over the open fire – everyone adores it.

One could also add a couple of teaspoons of freshly grated ginger to the rhubarb, but try it unadorned at first, its seriously good.

Serves 8-10
In season: late spring
900g (2lb) red rhubarb
255-285g (9-10oz) granulated sugar

Topping
310g (11oz) flour
20g (¾oz) castor sugar
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
55g (2oz) butter
1 egg
175ml (6floz) full cream milk, approx
egg wash
granulated sugar

23x5cm (9x2inch) round tin. We use a heavy stainless steel sauté pan which works very well, if you don’t have a suitable pan, par cook the rhubarb slightly first.
Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/regulo 8
Trim the rhubarb, wipe with a damp cloth and cut into pieces about 2.5cm (1inch) in length. Put into the base of a tin or sauté pan, sprinkle with the sugar. We put the stainless steel sauté pan on a low heat at this point while we make the dough.

Sieve all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg with the milk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid all at once and mix to a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board and roll into a 23cm (9inch) round about 2.5cm (1inch) thick. Place this round on top of the rhubarb and tuck in the edges neatly. Brush with a little egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. 

Bake in the fully preheated oven for 15 minutes then, reduce the temperature to 180C/350F/regulo 4 for a further 30 minutes approx. or until the top is crusty and golden and the rhubarb soft and juicy.
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes. Put a warm plate over the top of the sauté pan, turn upside down onto the plate but be careful of the hot juices. 
Serve warm with soft brown sugar and cream.

Top Tips 

Wild garlic
Wild Garlic also known as Ramsoms (Allium Ursinum) and Three cornered Garlic (Allium Triquetrum), also known as Snowbells, are in full bloom all around the countryside at the moment - many people will recognize them and smell them, as they go for walks, but not many realize that they are, not merely edible but a most delicious addition to sauce, salads and soups.

Fresh Mint
Bunches of fresh mint are now available in the supermarkets, spearmint has the most delicate flavour. Use for Mint sauce or make a fresh mint infusion –bring fresh cold water to a boil. Scald a china teapot, take a generous pinch of fresh spearmint leaves and 
crush them gently in your hand. The quantity will depend on how intense an infusion you enjoy. Put them into the scalded water. Pour the boiling water over the leaves, cover the teapot, and let them infuse for 3-4minutes. Serve immediately in china cups.

Easter Eggs 
All the shops have a range of Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies – look out for little ones to hide around the garden for the Easter Egg hunt – Marks and Spencer, Lily O’Brien and locally made Eve Chocolate and O’Conaills who sell at Midleton Farmers Market. Have a tempting peep at Hot Chocolate in Cork’s Castle Street.

Mince has always been looked on as the poor relation, a less desirable cousin of prime rib or sirloin. Something to be endured on days when the budget is a bit tight, but just because it’s relatively inexpensive doesn’t mean it is any less delicious.

There are a myriad of mouth-watering, yes I mean mouth-watering dishes that can be made from mince. From juicy hamburgers to saucy meatballs, from Bolognese sauce to crunchy Middle Eastern Kibbeh – one just needs to add a sprinkle of ingenuity and a liberal flavouring of herbs or spices or maybe both.

As ever the key to deliciousness is the basic raw material, it’s crucially important that the meat is well hung but freshly minced. I know that many people say that mince stays fresh for several days, I disagree and find that even when it is carefully refrigerated it sours and the flavour becomes tainted so plan to use fresh mince on the day. If your best-laid plans go awry because you are unexpectedly asked out, then shape it into a shallow block and pop it in the freezer – it will keep for 1-2 months but gradually deteriorate. However, for best results it’s best to use it within a few days. Pork, lamb, chicken, veal or even tuna can be minced but in this article I’m going to concentrate on beef mince because it is the most widely available.

Quality of the mince varies according to the cut of meat, ironically very lean cuts e.g. round can be very dry unless a percentage of fat is added. Flank, chuck and other cuts from the shoulder are fattier and have a sweeter flavour and juicer texture.

The accompaniments to mince can make the magic. The hamburger bun, lettuce, juicy tomatoes, mayonnaise, melting cheese, all enhance the experience of eating a burger. Spicy mince is so delicious wrapped in crispy lettuce leaves or stuffed into a pitta pocket or rolled up in a tortilla. Slice the top off a crispy bun, scoop out the crumb and fill generously with a juicy mince, well flavoured with fresh herbs and spices. Serve with a blob of Guacamole and some Jalapeno Relish or sweet chilli sauce.

Stuff well-flavoured mince into giant pasta shells, layer it up with a cheesy macaroni or simply sauté it off and add it to your favourite well-seasoned pasta sauce.

Tiny meat balls are also irresistible smothered in tomatoey sauce or just cooked on the pan, then served with a tasty dip. Spear them with cocktail sticks for ease of eating – so many ideas – one could quite easily eat mince in a different way for weeks on end.

Darina’s Back to Basics

Basic Hamburger

If you are complete beginner why not start by making your own hamburger.

The hamburger, the universal fast food, immortalized by the Americans and enjoyed by the rich and famous, the down and outs and all the rest of the world as well.

It can be a feast or a travesty simply a burger in a bun or an elaborate creation with lots of sauces and pickles. Hamburgers, love them or hate then they're here to stay and with a bit of effort they can be Simply Delicious.

The secret of really good hamburgers is the quality of the mince, it doesn't need to be an expensive cut but it is essential to use the beef on the day it is minced. A very small percentage of fat in the mince will make the hamburgers sweet and juicy.

Serves 4-6
3 ozs (85g) onion, finely chopped
½ oz (15g) butter
1 lb (450g) freshly minced beef - flank, chump or shin would be perfect
½ teasp. fresh thyme leaves
½ teasp. finely chopped parsley
1 small egg, beaten, preferably free range
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive or sunflower oil

First peel and chop the onion finely. 

Melt the butter in a low-sided saucepan and toss in the chopped onion. Cover and sweat on a low heat until soft but not coloured, allow to get cold. In a bowl mix the mince with the herbs and beaten egg, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, add the cold onions and mix well. Fry off a tiny bit on the pan to check the seasoning, correct if necessary. Then shape into hamburgers, 4-6 depending on the size you require. Cook to your taste on a medium-hot pan or grill pan in a little oil, turning once.

Burgers can be stored covered in the fridge for several hours before cooking.

Top Tips

Wet your hands with cold water before shaping the burgers to prevent the mixture sticking to your hands. 
If the hamburgers are being cooked in batches make sure to wash and dry the pan between batches. 
Burgers should not be more than one inch thick, otherwise it will be difficult to cook them through. 

Homemade hamburgers are a vast improvement on mass-produced burgers. There are endless ways to serve them – cheese burgers, bacon burgers, chilli burgers, blue-cheese burgers, mushroom burgers. …….

Spicy Moroccan Meatballs with Yoghurt and Banana Raita

These spicy meat balls have a secret centre

Makes 6
1 lb (450g) minced beef or shoulder of lamb
4 cardamom pods
1½ teasp coriander seeds
1 clove
¼-½ teasp of chilli powder
2-3 small cloves garlic mashed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 egg, preferably free range

2 tablesp. approx. cream cheese mixed with 1 teasp. chopped parsley, optional

Yogurt and Banana Raita

Remove the seeds from the cardamom and discard the pods. Grind the seeds with the coriander and clove, add to the minced lamb with the chilli powder and crushed garlic. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Fry off a tiny bit to check the seasoning. Divide the mixture into 6, shape each portion into a round 4 inch (10cm) diameter approx. Put a teaspoonful of curd cheese and parsley into the centre, gather up the edges so that the filling is completely enclosed. Repeat with the remainder of the mixture. Cover and chill until required or barbecue or fry immediately on a medium heat in a barely oiled frying pan. They will take about 5 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with a Green Salad and Banana and Yogurt Raita.

Banana and Yogurt Raita

Serves 8-10
Delicious served with either these meatballs or with mild madras curry, surprisingly it keep for days in the fridge and we've also enjoyed it as a pudding.

2 heaped tablesp. (2 ozs (55g) approx.) raisins or sultanas
1 oz (30g) blanched slivered almonds
7 fl ozs (200ml) natural yogurt
3½ fl ozs (90ml) cream or 3½ fl ozs (90ml) sour cream
1 tablesp. pure Irish honey
3 firm ripe bananas
pinch of salt
4-6 cardamom pods

Pour boiling water over the raisins or sultanas, leave for 10 minutes, toast the almonds. Mix the yogurt with the cream, add the honey, taste and add more if needed. Add the raisins and almonds, remove the seeds from the cardamom pods, crush in a pestle and mortar, slice the banana, season with a pinch of salt and add to the yogurt. Turn into a serving bowl and chill for an hour if possible.

Serve with curries and spicy dishes.

Yuk Sum

Serves 4
A delicious Chinese way of eating mince – one of my absolute favourites. 
2 tablesp. olive oil
1 teasp. ginger, freshly grated 
2 tablesp. spring onion
8 ozs (225g) minced beef or streaky pork
2 ozs (55g) mushrooms, chopped
1 oz (30g) celery, finely chopped
1 -2 tablesp. Oyster sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper
Iceberg lettuce leaves
Garnish
a of a cucumber approx. cut into 3 inch (5mm) thick julienne
8 spring onion 'sweeping brushes'

Heat a wok until very hot, add the olive oil, then add the grated ginger and spring onion, toss for a second or two, then add the meat, cook on a high heat until almost cooked, then push the meat up to the side of the wok, add the chopped mushrooms and toss until cooked. Add the celery, mix with the mushrooms and meat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, add the oyster sauce. Toss for a minute or two more. Taste and correct seasoning.

Put some crisp iceberg lettuce onto a plate, spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into the centre of each. Garnish the plate with julienne of cucumber and a couple of spring onion 'sweeping brushes'. Eat immediately by wrapping the meat, cucumber and spring onion in the lettuce to make a parcel.

Darina’s Top Tips 

Wet your hands with cold water before shaping the burgers to prevent the mixture sticking to your hands. 
If the hamburgers are being cooked in batches make sure to wash and dry the pan between batches. 
Burgers should not be more than one inch thick, otherwise it will be difficult to cook them through. 

Sweet Chilli Sauce
No kitchen should be without this perky sauce, which can be used as a dip, sauce or a flavouring for fish, meat, vegetables and stir fries – from Asian shops, Cork Market and many supermarkets. 

Tortilla Chips
Great for a nibble or to scoop up a dip. Now available not just in speciality shops but in local shops, supermarkets and even some forecourts around the country – check the flavourings, some are bizarre, I enjoy the original best.

Pitta Bread
Turkish flat bread, the everyday bread in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, but now a firm favourite not only in Europe, but in the US and Oz. This versatile soft flat bread forms a pocket as it cooks, perfect.for filling with salads, meats or vegetables, available from most supermarkets as well as ethnic shops. They can be frozen and reheat perfectly wrapped in foil in a moderate oven or quickly under the grill.

Oyster Sauce
A ‘must-have’ staple – a flavourful Cantonese sauce made of oysters, water, salt, cornflour and caramel colouring, essential flavouring in Chow Mein and Chop Suey, but if you’re not that adventurous, its still worth having a bottle in your fridge (keeps almost indefinitely) for adding to stir-fries, meat or seafood dishes or noodles or even mince- it’s a splendid flavour enhancer.

Mother’s Day is tomorrow so this week’s column is for the kids. Lots of ideas for those of you who would like to take over the kitchen for the day or try your hand at cooking a meal. Even one yummy dish to show your super-duper Mum how special she is would be fab.

Can’t tell you how thrilled us Mums are when you surprise us with a little present or an unexpected gesture. Breakfast in bed is always a delight, lay a tray with a pretty cloth or even a gingham napkin, if you can manage a little posy of flowers she’ll get an even bigger ‘oops in her tummy’ when you arrive in to her bedroom beaming from ear to ear.

My Mum still speaks fondly of my first attempt to bring her tea in bed. Years later I discovered that apparently the kettle wasn’t even boiling properly, but at the time she never gave me the slightest hint that the tea wasn’t perfect.

Breakfast doesn’t have to be a full Irish – you’ll need a nice pot of tea or coffee for a start. How about some mini muffins – they’re really easy to make and look adorable – a glass of freshly squeezed orange or pink grapefruit juice is a very easy way to get lots of compliments for a little effort. Just cut the citrus fruit in half around the equator and squeeze out the juice – one of those little plastic juicers works brilliantly (the peel can be dried – makes terrific firelighters).

If you ‘d rather do a cooked breakfast, why not make some sublime scrambled egg. It may not be an option but if you add a few small cubes of smoked salmon at the end, it’ll be even more luxurious – a real Mother’s Day treat.

Find a pot of lovely Irish honey for her toast or make some jam – how cool would that be! Having said that, its not a great time of the year for jam making, no ripe fruit around. Lemon curd would be a perfect solution – fresh tasting and delicious and made in minutes – a real homemade alternative and a change from the usual jams and marmalades.

If you’d prefer to rustle up something for lunch, how about a cheese fondue – so easy and great fun, all the family can tuck in – it’s a one pot meal so the extra bonus is minimum washing-up!

If however, you would like to treat your Mum to the evening off, then how about a full dinner. Here’s a suggestion for a nice easy meal that she’ll love. Try to enlist the help of the rest of the family to lay the table nicely – again a little bunch of flowers, maybe they could be persuaded to do some cards and place names – more the merrier.

Better still run a bath for your Mum to relax in while you are making dinner. Scatter some flower petals into the water, rose petals are best but scarce at this time of year, light some candles and maybe play some soothing music so she can chill out while you cook.

I suggest Carrot and Apple Salad with a sweet ‘n sour dressing for a starter – quick and tasty to make with inexpensive ingredients and non-fattening just in case she’s watching her weight.

Penne with Ginger Mushrooms and herbs for main course would be delicious, almond and chocolate meringue – a little touch of indulgence for pudding. The latter can be made several days ahead and filled on the day. The Mushroom Sauce for the pasta can also be cooked ahead if you really want to be super-organised.

You may want to give her a present of some Darina Allen choccies as an extra special treat and then you can remind her that sharing is fun too!

Good luck and don’t forget to drop me a card to let me know how it went.

Scrambled Eggs

Serves 2
Perfectly scrambled eggs are rare indeed. For perfection really fresh free range eggs are essential.
Really fresh eggs, perfectly scrambled, need no further embellishment, except perhaps a slice of hot thin toast.

4 eggs, preferably free range, organic
2 tablespoons creamy milk
a knob of butter
salt and freshly ground pepper

Break the eggs into a bowl, add the milk and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Whisk well until the whites and yolks are well mixed. Put a blob of butter into a cold saucepan, pour in the egg mixture and stir continuously preferably with a flat bottomed wooden spoon over a low heat until the eggs have scrambled into soft creamy curds. Serve immediately on warm plates with lots of hot buttered toast or fresh soda bread.

Tip: If the plates are too hot the scrambled egg will actually over cook between the stove and the table.

Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon

A few seconds before the scrambled egg is fully cooked, add 2-3 tablespoons diced smoked salmon trimmings, stir once or twice, sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Scrambled eggs with tomato

A few seconds before the scrambled egg is fully cooked add 1 very ripe chopped tomato which has been seasoned with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar, stir once or twice and serve immediately.

Mini Muffins

Makes 12 muffins or up to 36 mini muffins

10oz (275g) plain flour
1 level tablespoon baking powder
3oz (75g) caster sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 medium eggs
8floz (225ml) milk
4oz (110g) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6

Place paper muffin cases in muffin tin. Hand whisk together sugar, eggs, milk, melted butter and vanilla. Sieve flour, salt and baking powder. Fold into beaten mixture. It should look like lumpy batter. Add filling of your choice. 

Divide mixture between 12 cases or put just over 1 teaspoon per mini muffin case. Fill almost to the top. Bake at the top of the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Note: Reduce baking time to 15-20 minutes for mini muffins

Variations
Add 4 tablespoons of cocoa with 6 oz (150g) mixed chocolate chips (white, milk and plain) 
Add 4 oz (110g) fresh blueberries, roughly chopped 
Add desired amount of chocolate chips 
Add 2 cooking apples, peeled and chopped with 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
Add 2-3oz (50-75g) dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, dates) with ½ teaspoon mixed spice (optional) 

Lemon Curd

4 ozs (110g) castor sugar

2 ozs (55g) butter
grated rind and juice of 2 good lemons
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk (keep white aside for meringue)

On a very low heat melt the butter, add castor sugar, lemon juice and rind and then stir in the well beaten eggs. Stir carefully over a gentle heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Draw off the heat and pour into a bowl (it will thicken as it cools.)

Carrot and Apple Salad with Sweet ‘n Sour Dressing

This delicious salad can be made in minutes from ingredients you would probably have easily to hand, but shouldn't be prepared more than half an hour ahead, as the apple will discolour. Serve either as a starter or as an accompanying salad for ham or pork.

Serves 6
8 ozs (225g) grated carrot
10 ozs (285g) grated dessert apple, e.g. Cox's Orange Pippin if available
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Dressing
2 good teaspoons pure Irish honey
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Garnish
A few leaves of lettuce
Sprigs of watercress or parsley
Chive flowers if you have them

Dissolve the honey in the wine vinegar. Mix the coarsely grated carrot and apple together and toss in the sweet and sour dressing. Taste and add a bit more honey or vinegar as required, depending on the sweetness of the apples.

Take 6 large side plates, white are best for this. Arrange a few small lettuce leaves on each plate and divide the salad between the plates. Garnish with sprigs of watercress or flat parsley and sprinkle with chive flowers if you have some. Season to taste.

Penne with Mushroom and Ginger Sauce

Serves 8

Mushroom and ginger sauce keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days and of course freezes perfectly. May also be used as a filling for vol au vents or pancakes or used as a vegetable.

1lb(450g) penne
8pts(4.5L) water
2 tablesp. salt

1-2oz (25-50g) butter
6 ozs (170g) onion, finely chopped
1 lb (450g) mushrooms
8 fl ozs (225ml) cream
2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
freshly chopped parsley
1 tablesp. freshly chopped chives (optional)
a squeeze of lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
2ozs (50g)(approx.) freshly grated Parmesan

To make the Mushroom and ginger sauce.

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan until it foams. Add the chopped onions, cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 5-6 minutes or until quite soft but not coloured. Meanwhile slice and cook the mushrooms in a hot frying pan in batches if necessary. Season each batch with salt, freshly ground pepper and a tiny squeeze of lemon juice. Add the mushrooms to the onions in the saucepan, then add the cream, and grated ginger. Allow to bubble for a few minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning, and add parsley and chives if used.

To Cook the Penne

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil to a fast rolling boil, add the salt, add the penne, stir well. Bring back to the boil for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, keep covered and allow to sit in the saucepan for 10 minutes approximately.

Drain, reheat the Mushroom and Ginger sauce, toss with the pasta.

Sprinkle with a little Parmesan and some flat parsley and serve immediately.

Almond and Chocolate Meringue

Serves 6

12 ozs (45g) almonds
2 egg whites 
42 ozs (125g.) icing sugar

Filling
12 oz (45g) good quality dark chocolate eg Bournville
2 pint (300ml) whipped cream
1 tablesp. Rum (optional)
1 tablesp. single cream
Decoration
5 toasted almonds

Check that the bowl is dry, spotlessly clean and free of grease. Blanch and skin the almonds. Grind or chop them up. They should not be ground to a fine powder but should be left slightly coarse and gritty. Mark two 72 inch (19cm) circles or heart shapes on silicone paper or a prepared baking sheet. Mix all the sugar with the egg whites at once and beat until the mixture forms stiff dry peaks. Fold in the almonds. Divide the mixture between the 2 circles or heart shapes and spread evenly with a palette knife. Bake immediately in a cool oven, 150C/300F/regulo 2 for 45 minutes or until crisp they should peel off the paper easily, turn off the oven and allow to cool.

To make the filling
Melt the chocolate with the rum (if using) and single cream very gently in a very cool oven, or over hot water. Cool and then fold the mixture into the whipped cream.

To assemble
Sandwich the meringues together with the filling. Decorate with rosettes of chocolate and rum cream stuck with halved toasted almonds.

I’ve just realised that Shrove Tuesday is round the corner. Mere mention brings happy childhood memories flooding back – suddenly I’m standing in our kitchen in Cullohill – Mum by the Esse dressed in her pretty flowery apron and her silver grey hair arranged in a neat bun.

All my brothers and sisters are seated around the kitchen table squabbling about whose turn it is to have the next pancake. Mummy is turning them out as fast as she can manage. Sometimes if the wind is in the wrong direction the temperamental old Esse range isn’t as hot as it might be – disastrous when you need a very hot plate for pancakes. We ate them straight off the pan brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with castor sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Can you imagine how many pancakes one needed to feed nine hungry children.

Each had a different ritual, I liked to spread butter all over the speckled side, then add the sugar and lemon juice and roll it up. Then I sparingly cut into thin rounds, one at a time and even unravelled the last ones so they lasted longer – after all eight others had to have their pancake before my turn came around again.

It was a feast, fantastic fun. I presume poor Mum must have been exhausted after the marathon pancake fest, but if she was she never let on.
We also loved when she made us apple fritters, that was usually in Autumn when the cooking apples were ripe on the old tree in the vegetable garden. Thin slices of apple rings were dipped in a batter and then deep fried. They cooked into bizarre shapes which kept us amused trying to guess what it resembled – a dinosaur, amoeba, gorilla, vampire, a rhino ….
Pancakes, or should I say batters are the quintessential fast food, amazingly versatile. At their most basic they are made with ingredients that are practically always to hand even in the galley of a non-domesticated god or goddess – flour, milk, eggs.

The proportions can be varied to make a rich or light, thick or thin batter, depending on use and craving.
A thick batter can be dropped in small or large spoonfuls onto a hot pan and cooked until the bubbles burst on one side before turning over to continue cooking on the flip side. These are delicious served with butter and jam or apple and sweet geranium jelly. Alternatively buttermilk pancakes make an all American breakfast lathered with butter, piled in a stack, drizzled with maple syrup and interleaved with crispy bacon.
A thinner batter produces all manner of crepes or thin pancakes. A lighter lacier result can be achieved by using half milk and water, rather than all milk. If you have little in the way of batterie de cuisine, the batter can be made in a bowl with a hand whisk or even a fork, but I recommend using a liquidiser or food processor for speed if you have one.

A non-stick pan is a real boon for pancakes and means that you can flip the pancakes effortlessly just like a pro. Another tip is to stir a few tablespoons of melted butter into the batter just before you start to cook – this not only enriches the pancakes but also ensures that the batter won’t stick to the pan. Batter can be made and used immediately but if one can allow it to rest for thirty minutes to an hour, the pancakes will be more digestible.

Pancakes can of course have sweet or savoury filling and needless to say, every country has its own version, from the Fazzoletti and Crespelle of Italy, to the Greek semolina pancakes – Simigali crepa and the soft spongy Baghrir pancakes of Morocco. In India we ate a myriad of pancakes, made not just from wheat flour but also rice flour , split peas, mung beans, chickpea flour depending on the region and with names like Utthappam, Dosa, Cheela and Poora. In China there are thin white flour pancakes called Moo shoo row and in Vietnam – Banh xeo and Korea – Pa’chon- both semolina flour pancakes made from a similar type batter but served with different accompaniments.
So don’t just save pancakes for Shrove Tuesday, when you start to experiment you’ll discover there’s probably a pancake for every day of the year.

Pancakes

Whip up a batter with flour and milk and in a matter of minutes you will be flipping delicious speckled pancakes.

Pancake Batter

6 ozs (170g) plain white flour, preferably unbleached

a good pinch of salt
1 dessertsp. castor sugar, (omit for savoury pancakes)
2 large eggs and 1 or 2 egg yolks, preferably free range
scant : pint (450ml) milk, or for very crisp, light delicate pancakes, milk and water mixed
3-4 dessertsp. melted butter

To Serve:
Butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar.

Serves 6 – makes 12 approx.

Sieve the flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl, make a well in the centre and drop in the lightly beaten eggs. With a whisk or wooden spoon, starting in the centre, mix the egg and gradually bring in the flour. Add the liquid slowly and beat until the batter is covered with bubbles. (If they are to be served with sugar and lemon juice, stir in an extra tablespoon of castor sugar and the finely grated rind of half a lemon).
Let the batter stand in a cold place if you have time. Just before you cook the pancakes stir in 3-4 dessertspoons melted butter. This will make all the difference to the flavour and texture of the pancakes and will make it possible to cook them without greasing the pan each time.
Heat a non stick pan over a high heat, pour in a small ladleful of batter or just enough to film the base of the pan. The batter should cook immediately, loosen around the edges with a rubber slice, flip over and cook for a few seconds on the other side. Slide onto a plate, serve with your chosen filling either sweet or savoury.
For Shrove Tuesday the traditional accompaniments of butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar are my favourite.

Other accompaniments for Sweet Pancakes
Bananas and butterscotch sauce
Butter apples laced with mixed spices
Cinnamon butter
Melted chocolate and cream
Home-made jam and cream
Honey and chopped walnuts

Savoury Pancakes

Stir a few tablespoons of freshly chopped herbs into the batter. Well seasoned mushrooms or Mushroom á la creme, bacon, crispy pieces of chicken, mussels, shrimps or whatever tasty bits you come across in the fridge, added to Mushroom á la creme, or Tomato fondue and Pesto make delicious fillings.

Buttermilk Pancakes with Crispy Bacon and Maple Syrup

Serves 10
1 lb (450 g) plain white flour
1 teaspoon bread soda
Large pinch salt
1-2 ozs (30 –55 g) sugar
1 egg, free-range if possible
1 pint (600 ml) buttermilk
Hot crispy streaky bacon
Maple syrup or Irish honey

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl, make a well in the centre, add the egg and enough buttermilk to make a batter of a dropping consistency (it usually takes a full pint). Drop a large tablespoonful onto a non-stick pan, cook for 3-4 minutes on one side before turning over, the pancakes are ready to turn when the bubbles burst. Flip over gently and cook until golden on the other side.
To serve: put one pancake on a hot plate, spread with butter and drizzle with maple syrup and honey and top with another buttered pancake. Put a few pieces of hot crispy bacon on top. Serve more maple syrup or honey as an accompaniment.

Pancakes with Sour Cream and Jam

Serve hot pancakes with jam and sour cream.

Apple and Cinnamon Fritters

Apple Fritters have been one of my absolutely favourite puddings since I was a child – nothing changed I still love them.
Serves 6 approx.

4 cooking apples, Bramley Seedling or Grenadier
4 ozs (110g) plain white flour
pinch of salt
1 egg, free range if possible
¼ pint (150ml) milk
sunflower or peanut oil for frying
8 ozs (225g) castor sugar
1 teasp. cinnamon

Sieve the flour into a bowl, add a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre, whisk the egg slightly, pour into the centre slowly add the milk whisking in a full circle, gradually bring in the flour from the outside. Continue to whisk until the batter is light and bubbly. Peel and core the apples, cut into ¼ inch (5mm) thick slices. Heat about 1½ inches (4cm) of oil in a frying pan. Dip a few slices of apple into the batter one by one. Fry on both sides until crisp and golden, drain well. Add cinnamon to the castor sugar, toss each fritter in and serve immediately with softly whipped cream.

Banana Fritters

Bananas also make great fritters. Split in half lengthways and then in half again if you would like shorter pieces. Omit the cinnamon fro

Great excitement at the cookery school today, we’ve just got our first consignment of the new season’s olive oil from Greece.
Mani extra virgin olive oil is a rich unctuous green oil with sweet, spicy, grassy flavours.
Charles Byrne who imports Mani into Ireland came to explain the fascinating story behind the production of this extra virgin olive oil which has lured me since I first tasted it in Greece about ten years ago  

Mani oil is produced from organically grown Koroneiki olives on the Mani peninsula in the Western Peleponnese area. The olives are grown by peasant farmers in numerous small groves in a co-operative venture organised by Austrian Fritz Bläuel and his wife Burgi. This gentle Buddhist couple, aged-hippies like myself, started out on the hippy trail to India many moons ago. When they got as far as the Mani peninsula they paused in this remote area to meditate and commune with nature. When they met the local farmers, ate the food, helped to pick the olives, tasted the freshly pressed oil, they were “blown away” by the quality and flavour and were determined to bring their fine local oil to a wider audience. A long battle ensued with the Greek Government and the chemical companies, who initially put many obstacles in the way of growing organically.
The olive groves were sprayed from the air against the expressed wishes of the farmers but eventually the Greek government intervened when tour companies began registering complaints that tourists on the beaches all over Greece were complaining about the side effects from the spray drift.
From then on the co-op of olive growers became totally organic and now Mani is the third largest exporter of branded olive oil in Greece and are responsible for 90% of organic production of all Greek olive oil.
Despite their success they haven’t forgotten their ethos – every year the mill closes for a couple of weeks, is decorated with Tibetan prayer flags and is metamorphosed into a Meditation Hall.
Much of the oil is still pressed by crushing the olives with ancient millstones in the traditional way. Some farmers have however changed over to continuous centrifugal production, although my preference is for olive oil produced in the truly traditional way. Seems light years away from my childhood when olive oil was solely for ear aches or for easing ‘a crick in the neck’.
My first experiment with olive oil for mayonnaise proved totally disastrous, despite Elizabeth David’s promptings in French Provincial Cooking – the oil was rancid which resulted in a strong, bitter and altogether nasty mayonnaise.

Nowadays, I keep 3 or 4 different types of olive oil for different uses and know of no other product which can so greatly enhance the flavour of food with so little effort. So what should one look out for when choosing an olive oil?. As with wine it’s a matter of taste.
The essential elements of olive oil production have changed little over thousands of years, though the methods themselves and the equipment have been improved and streamlined and in some cases computerised. The olives are picked from September to March depending on the region. Hand picking is still the only way to ensure that the fruit is picked at its optimum ripeness and also to prevent bruising. However hand picking is expensive so other harvesting methods have been developed and research continues in an attempt to mechanise. The hand picker stands on a ladder with a net slung like a hammock below to catch the olives. Poles are sometimes used to
beat the branches. The olives are taken in baskets to a well where they are washed to remove all traces of impurities, they are then ground and the pulp is pressed. Oil which is made by pressing without any other treatment is called virgin oil. The modern method is to squeeze the pulp under hydraulic pressure and separate the oil with a centrifuge. The first cold pressed olive oil are virgin oils. They are graded according to acidity in standards laid down by the International Olive Oil Council.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes in two qualities -
Single Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil - This cold pressed oil with no more than 1% oleic acid, is the very best you can buy. Use for dipping, salad dressing, or drizzling over soups, pasta, salads or pan-grilled foods.
Branded extra virgin olive oil, the cheaper mass-produced brands need to be treated with more caution – use in everyday cooking.
Virgin Olive Oil - Obtained in the same way as extra virgin but with an acidity of 1.5% - 3% max oleic acid.
Olive Oil or Pure Olive Oil is the lowest grade of olive oil. It consists of a blend of refined olive oil to which virgin olive oil is added to improve the flavour. Use for mayonnaise and salad dressing if you do not enjoy a strong olivey flavour. It is also good for deep frying and cooking at high temperature. It’s smoke and flash point is the same as other vegetable oils but its Vitamin C content allows it to resist breakdown for a longer period.
Olive oil comes in a variety of styles – choose a sweet and gentle oil for fish and mild salads, a more pungent peppery one to dress more gutsy salads, pasta and roast or char-grilled meats.
Olive oil connoisseurs consider the oils of Tuscany in Italy and Provence in France, to be amongst the finest, but I’ve had superb oils from Spain, Greece and even South Africa, where the Morgenser oil from Giulio Bertrand is causing a considerable stir. One does not normally associate South Africa with olive oil but there is an increasing acreage under olive trees, as there is in California, Western Australia, New Zealand, Peru and Argentina. The choice can be bewildering, particularly as olive oil, like wine, has an enormous diversity of flavours. The taste, colour and aroma are dependent on the country of origin, the soil on which the olives are grown, the variety of olive, the method of harvesting and of course the way the olives are pressed. All these factors affect personal taste.
For centuries the nutritional, cosmetic and medicinal benefits of olive oil have been recognised by the people of the Mediterranean. Recent research indicates that a Mediterranean style diet which includes olive oil is very healthy. People in the Mediterranean live longer, are generally healthier and have a lower rate of coronary diseases than in the United States, Great Britain or Ireland.
Extra Virgin Olive oil is monounsaturated and so the consumption of olive oil can actually reduce LDL (Low density Lipoproteins) in the system while preserving the essential HDL (High Density Lipoproteins). Polyunsaturates on the other hand reduce both LDL and HDL. Olive oil has 115 calories per tablespoon exactly the same as other oils
For more information on olive oil and practical advice on what brands to buy, its hard to beat Judy Ridgway’s brilliantly researched book. ‘Best olive oil buys round the world’ published by Gardiner Press – her website address is www.oliveoil.org.uk The website for Mani is www.blauel.gr
All specialist food shops and delis and most supermarkets now stock at least one, and often several extra virgin olive oils. Taste, experiment and enjoy, it may just be the most important oil change of your life!

Homemade Mayonnaise and variations

Mayonnaise is what we call a 'mother sauce' in culinary jargon. In fact it is the 'mother' of all the cold emulsion sauces, so once you can make a Mayonnaise you can make any of the daughter sauces by just adding some extra ingredients.
I know it is very tempting to reach for the jar of 'well known brand' but most people don't seem to be aware that Mayonnaise can be made even with a hand whisk, in under five minutes, and if you use a food processor the technique is still the same but it is made in just a couple of minutes. The great secret is to have all your ingredients at room temperature and to drip the oil very slowly into the egg yolks at the beginning. The quality of your Mayonnaise will depend totally on the quality of your egg yolks, oil and vinegar and it's perfectly possible to make a bland Mayonnaise if you use poor quality ingredients.

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

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

Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the mustard, salt and the white wine vinegar (keep the whites to make meringues). Put the oil into a measure. Take a whisk in one hand and the oil in the other and drip the oil onto the egg yolks, drop by drop whisking at the same time. Within a minute you will notice that the mixture is beginning to thicken. When this happens you can add the oil a little faster, but don't get too cheeky or it will suddenly curdle because the egg yolks can only absorb the oil at a certain pace. Taste and add a little more seasoning and vinegar if necessary.
If the Mayonnaise curdles it will suddenly become quite thin, and if left sitting the oil will start to float to the top of the sauce. If this happens you can quite easily rectify the situation by putting another egg yolk or 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water into a clean bowl, then whisk in the curdled Mayonnaise, a half teaspoon at a time until it emulsifies again.

Garlic Mayonnaise

ingredients as above

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

Crush the garlic and add to the egg yolks just as you start to make the Mayonnaise. Finally add the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning.
Note: Here is a tip for crushing garlic. Put the whole clove of garlic on a board, preferably one that is reserved for garlic and onions. Tap the clove with a flat blade of a chopping knife, to break the skin. Remove the skin and discard. Then sprinkle a few grains of salt onto the clove. Again using the flat blade of the knife, keep pressing the tip of the knife down onto the garlic to form a paste. The salt provides friction and ensures the clove won't shoot off the board!

Basil Mayonnaise
Pour boiling water over ¾ oz (20g) of basil leaves, count to 3 drain immediately and refresh in cold water. Chop and add to the egg yolks and continue to make the Mayonnaise in the usual way.
Tomato and Basil Mayonnaise
Add 1-2 tablespoons (1-2 American tablespoons + 1-2 teaspoons) of aromatic tomato pureé to the Basil Mayonnaise.

Chilli Basil Mayonnaise
Add a good pinch of chilli powder to the egg yolks when making Garlic Mayonnaise, omit the parsley and add the basil instead. Great with salads and sandwiches.

Spicy Mayonnaise
Add 1-2 teaspoons Ballymaloe tomato relish to the basic mayonnaise. Add ½-1 teaspoon chilli sauce to taste.

Wasabi Mayonnaise
Add 1 - 2 tablespoons of Wasabi paste to the eggs instead of mustard.

Roast Red Pepper Mayonnaise
Add 1-2 roast red peppers, seeded and peeled (do not wash)
Purée the red pepper flesh, add purée and juices to the Mayonnaise. Taste and correct seasoning. 

Wholegrain Mustard Mayonnaise
Add 1-2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard to the basic mayonnaise.

Lemon Mayonnaise
Use lemon juice instead of vinegar in the basic mayonnaise.

Fennell Mayonnaise
Rick Stein introduced us to this delicious sauce. Add 3 teaspoons Pernod and 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fennel bulb to the basic mayonnaise recipe.

Recently, Éamon Ó Cuív, T.D. Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs met with representatives of organisations, agencies and Government Departments who work with small food producers.  Minister Ó Ćuiv called the meeting within the context of his remit as Minister with responsibility for rural development, to discuss the difficulties faced by rurally based artisan and traditional food producers with up to 50 employees. 

The Minister believes, quite rightly, that there is a huge potential in this industry for rural areas, but he recognises the need to identify the barriers to development in this sector.

“It has long been recognised that many of the traditional ways of making a living in rural Ireland are no longer sustainable.  Economic structures have changed dramatically in recent years, but many of our rural communities are finding it very difficult to adapt quickly enough to meet the changing demands of our modern society.  It’s time for those of us who live in rural areas to put on our thinking caps and come up with viable, imaginative solutions to these issues.  However, no more than the man or woman on the street, no Government has the power to provide magic solutions to these problems.

The Irish nation has produced some of the most innovative, talented and hard-working business people in the world.  I believe that the spirit of entrepreneurship that drove them is the very essence of what rural Ireland is about.   There was a time when every rural community was self-sustaining.  Farmers,  thatchers, tailors, cobblers, blacksmiths, even the travelling dance master, the tapestry of skills and workers was rich and vibrant.   Every one of those people were entrepreneurs.  I believe that encouraging small food production is just one of the ways in which we can nurture the self-starting sense of entrepreneurial spirit in a rural context.”

Michael Gleeson, a rural resource worker with Éirí Corca Baiscinn in West Clare presented a study of the local food economy in the county to the assembled group.
The study identified some of the problems facing small food producers, such as:

·     the perception that many of the regulations governing the industry are designed for production at a large     scale industrial level,
the difficulty of accessing finance,
the difficulties relating to distribution and branding and
the need to encourage farmers to accept small food production as a viable method of diversifying and sustaining traditional farms.

If small food producers in Co. Clare cornered 5% of the county’s food market it would inject approximately E10 million directly into the rural economy of the county, he said.
Mr Gleeson also said that a survey he had conducted of tourists in Co. Clare showed that they were prepared to pay up to a 20% premium for local produce, but that because of poor marketing and branding, the purchaser in many cases found it very difficult to identify whether a product was locally produced or not.  In order to help overcome this problem, he appealed to retailers to designate particular shelves or areas in their shops for locally produced food. Based on the results of a survey carried out in 2002 by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture and Food, Ciara O’Reilly (FSAI) identified:

achieving satisfactory profit margin distribution costs,  as the two main obstacles facing small producers. Joint third were
building a brand, building a production facility and the cost of compliance with food safety regulations, while 75% reported  insurance costs as very high or high.

This survey also revealed that by far the highest concentration of small food producers were based in Co. Cork, but that there appeared to be a startling dearth of producers based in Connaught.

Patrick Wall, CEO of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland acknowledged the difficulties which small food producers face in complying with food safety regulations.   Food safety regulations have become more and more stringent in recent years, he said, particularly in the wake of BSE and other major food scares.  Although small food producers didn’t cause these problems, the resulting regulations are threatening their commercial viability, he continued.   What is needed now is risk-based regulation, he said.   We can’t compromise on food safety, but E.U. regulations shouldn’t be akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. While we don’t want to give a carte blanche on food safety issues, as long as consumers’ health is adequately protected, regulations proportional to risk are what is needed, he concluded.

One of the most significant developments in this regard in the recent past is the announcement of the Hygiene Manual for Domestic-Scale Food Production.  This document which has been a few years in incubation,  was drawn up during a series of meetings. Manus O’Brolchain of National Standards Authority and Ray Ellard, now of the Food Safety Authority, spearheaded the initiative with the help of a Working Group which included representatives of Euro-Toques (Myrtle Allen), Farmhouse Cheesemakers, (Mary Burns of Ardrahan Farmhouse Cheese)  Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association,(Michael Woulfe from Midleton)  IRD Duhallow Rural Development Organisation (Timothy Lucey), Independent Small Food Producer Peter Ward of Country Choice, Nenagh, Home Baker, Jill Bell and myself.  The Country Markets organisation also had an input throughout the development process.

A workable document was painstakingly compiled.  The Environmental Health Officers validated the guidelines recently and the standard was launched on 9th December 2002 .For avoidance of doubt the crucial message is that people can start a business in their own domestic kitchen using these guidelines.

Each section is divided into sections –

What can go wrong
How it can be prevented
Recommendations:
The latter are not obligatory, but are suggestions to strive for as soon as possible.
  Hygiene for Domestic-Scale Food Production  (I.S. 344.2002)
Published by NSAI 2002 -
Available from ILI, Northumberland House, 42/44 Northumberland Road, Dublin 4
Tel. 01-857 6730  email:info@standards.ie Price 25 Euro plus postage of 4.62.
  On a practical note – this is the time for making Seville orange marmalade – the Seville oranges are in the shops just now, so get some and make some delicious fresh-tasting marmalade.   Here are a few marmalade ideas –

Old Fashioned Seville Orange Marmalade

Seville and Malaga oranges come into the shops after Christmas and are around for 4-5 weeks.
 Makes approx. 7 lbs (3.2kg)
2 lbs (900g) Seville Oranges
4 pints (2.3L) water
1 lemon
4 lbs (1.8kg) granulated sugar
Wash the fruit, cut in half and squeeze out the juice. Remove the membrane with a spoon, put with the pips, tie them in a piece of muslin and soak
 for 2 hour in cold water. Slice the peel finely or coarsely, depending on how you like your marmalade. Put the peel, orange and lemon juice, bag of pips and water into a non-reactive bowl or saucepan overnight.
Next day, bring everything to the boil and simmer gently for about 2 hours until the peel is really soft and the liquid is reduced by half. Squeeze all the liquid from the bag of pips and remove it.
Add the warmed sugar and stir until all the sugar has been dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to a full rolling boil rapidly until setting point is reached 5-10 minutes approx. Test for a set, either with a sugar thermometer (it should register 220F), or with a saucer. Put a little marmalade on a cold saucer and cool for a few minutes. If it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it's done.
Allow marmalade to sit in the saucepan for 15 minutes before bottling to prevent the peel from floating.   Pot into hot sterilized jars. Cover immediately and store in a cool dry dark place.
N.B. The peel must be absolutely soft before the sugar is added, otherwise when the sugar is added it will become very hard and no amount of boiling will soften it.

Marmalade Popovers

Makes 14 approx.
7½ fl ozs (213ml) milk
1 teasp. grated orange rind
oil or lard for baking tins
½ teasp. salt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
8 teasp. home made Orange marmalade
Icing sugar
Sieve the flour into a bowl.  Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk and the lightly beaten eggs.  Mix to a smooth batter. Stir in grated orange rind and whisk really hard with an egg whisk until the surface is covered with air bubbles.  If possible leave to stand in a cold place for about an hour, then stir in the melted butter and beat again.  Grease deep patty tins really well. Put them in the oven until they are hot.  Pour in the batter, filling each tins half to two thirds full,  put straight into a hot oven, 220C/425F/regulo 7, for about 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/350F/regulo 4, and bake for about 25 minutes longer, until the popovers are well risen, crisp and golden brown. Put a small spoon of marmalade into each one.  Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Rory O'Connell's Marmalade Tart

Serves 8

pinch salt
5ozs (140g) butter
2 teasps. castor sugar
1 egg yol
Filling;
4ozs (110g) butter
4ozs (110g) castor sugar
2ozs (55g) ground almonds
1 large egg, beaten
4 tablesp. marmalade

Set the oven to 200C (400F/regulo 6)

Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and rub in butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sugar, beat the egg yolk with 2 teaspoons of cold water.  Use to bind the pastry, adding a little more water if necessary to form a soft but not sticky dough.  Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.    Roll out on a lightly floured surface and use to line an 8 inch (20.5cm) loose bottomed, fluted flan ring.   Prick the base lightly with a fork, cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper.  Fill with baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and discard the paper and beans.
Meanwhile prepare the filling.  Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy, then beat in the ground almonds and egg.  Warm and then sieve the marmalade.  Reserve the liquid, stir rind into mixture and beat well until thoroughly mixed.
Turn the prepared filling into the pastry case.  Smooth over the top.   Reduce the oven temperature to 180C (350F/regulo 4) and bake the flan for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Glaze with reserved marmalade.   This tart is delicious hot or cold. 

Serve with softly whipped cream.