CategorySaturday Letter

Oops, that was fast, it seems like a few days ago it was Summer then suddenly it feels like Winter and I’m longing for bubbly stews and casseroles. In these days of constantly rising costs and prices, hearty stews and casseroles really deliver bang for your buck in terms of flavour and nutrients. The secret is inexpensive cuts of meat and long, slow cooking. Do you have an old stove, put the stew pot into the bottom oven and let it bubble away for hours, otherwise invest in a slow cooker, the slower the stew or casserole is cooked, the more meltingly tender the end result will be, for this column, I’ll concentrate on beef. Beef short ribs are particularly rich and delicious. Beef shin, also deep beefy, is one of the best cuts to come from a cow. Oxtail has the very best flavour. Beef shin costs half nothing and is packed with collagen. While it cooks, the gelatine gradually melts into the liquid creating a thick, flavourful rich sauce. Winter is root vegetable season. The irony is one needs less meat with these flavourful cuts. Add lots and lots of carrots, parsnips, swede turnip, celeriac to bulk out the stew and add extra deliciousness. One can just pile everything into the casserole but if time allows, it’s really worth browning the meat and vegetables in hot tallow for beef or extra virgin olive oil. The flavour from the caramelised edges will be infinitely more delicious. About three-quarters way through cooking, I often cover the stew with a layer of potatoes, so they absorb the flavour from the stew. Another favourite is to toss in a can of drained chickpeas or butter beans a few minutes from the end of cooking to add volume and extra nourishment. Scatter with lots of fresh herbs before serving to add freshness. Stews and casseroles taste even better the next day or the day after. When most of the meals and vegetables have been eaten, you may have just a small amount of sauce left. Toss it over pasta and add lots of freshly grated cheese and freshly chopped herbs for a hearty supper. So, time to visit your local butcher and have a good chat about the deliciousness of cheaper cuts, go out of your way to find organic meat, but you’ll get real value when you start to experiment with the lesser known cuts – you’ll wonder why it took you so long to discover them.

Beef and Oxtail Stew with Vegetables

Oxtail costs very little and makes an extraordinarily rich and flavoursome winter stew, considering how cheap it is. This is another humble dish, which has recently been resurrected by trendy chefs who are capitalizing on their customer’s nostalgic craving for their Gran’s cooking.  Use the leftover stew as a sauce for pasta, sprinkle with lots of grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. 

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 whole oxtails

450g shin of beef or stewing beef, cut into 4cm cubes                                                       

110g streaky bacon

25g beef dripping or2 tbsp olive oil

225g finely chopped onion

225g carrots, cut into 2cm cubes

125g parsnips, cut into 2cm cubes

55g chopped celery

1 tbsp homemade tomato purée

1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of thyme and parsley stalks

salt and freshly ground pepper

150ml red wine

450ml homemade beef stock or 600ml all beef stock                                                                                      

175g mushrooms, sliced                                                                             

15g roux (made with equal quantities of flour and butter, cooked on a low heat, stirring occasionally)

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Method

First cut the oxtail into pieces through the natural joints – the joints are made of cartilage, so you won’t need a saw.  If this seems like too much of a challenge, ask your butcher to disjoint the oxtail for you.

Cut the bacon into 2.5cm cubes.      

Heat the dripping or olive oil in a frying pan, add the bacon and sauté for 1-2 minutes, add the vegetables, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer into a casserole. Add the beef and oxtail pieces to the pan, a few at a time and continue to cook until the meat is beginning to brown.  Add to the casserole. Add the wine and 150ml of stock to the pan.  Bring to the boil and use a whisk to dissolve the caramelised meat juices from the pan, bring to the boil.  Add to the casserole with the herbs, stock and tomato purée. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and cook either on top of the stove or in a preheated oven 160°C/Gas Mark 3 very gently for 2-3 hours, or until the oxtail and vegetables are very tender.

Meanwhile, cook the sliced mushrooms in a hot frying pan in a little butter for 2-3 minutes. Stir into the oxtail stew and cook for about 5 minutes. Transfer the beef and oxtail to a hot serving dish and keep warm. Remove and discard the bay leaves, thyme and parsley stalks.

Bring the liquid back to the boil, whisk in a little roux and cook until slightly thickened. Add back in the meat and chopped parsley.  Bring to the boil, taste and correct the seasoning.  Serve in the hot serving dish with lots of champ.

Beef and Oxtail Stew with Gremolata

Sprinkle a little gremolata (see recipe) over each portion of oxtail stew and serve.

Gremolata

Gremolata is a fresh tasting mix of chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest. We use it to sprinkle over roast or braised meats, pastas or anything pan-grilled – delicious!

Ingredients

4 tbsp preferably flat parsley, chopped

1 generous tsp grated or finely chopped lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and use soon.

Winter Beef Stew with Polenta

Of all the beef stews I make, this is the favourite. It can be made in large quantities plus it reheats and freezes brilliantly. Gremolata is a fresh-tasting mix of chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest, which I use to sprinkle over roast or braised meat, pasta or anything pan-grilled. The polenta can be served the moment it’s ready or poured into a shallow, well-oiled dish and left to cool. It can then be sliced and chargrilled, pan-grilled, toasted or fried and served with all sorts of toppings.

The quality of polenta varies so choose a really good brand. This stew is also lovely with Colcannon instead of the polenta.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

285g sliced onions

2 large carrots, cut into 1cm slices

1.35kg well hung stewing beef or lean flank, trimmed of any excess fat and cut into 4cm pieces

1 heaped tbsp plain flour

150ml red wine

150ml homemade beef stock

250ml homemade tomato purée or 3-4 tbsp of best quality concentrated tomato purée mixed with 225ml water or 400g tin chopped tomatoes

175g sliced mushrooms

1 tbsp chopped parsley

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gremolata

4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 generous tsp grated or finely chopped lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

For the Polenta (optional)

1 level dsp salt

225g coarse polenta (bramata)

110g butter

85-110g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas Mark 3.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a casserole over a gentle heat, add the onions and carrots, cover with a lid and sweat for 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan until almost smoking. Sear the beef on all sides, then add to the casserole. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine, stock and tomato purée to the frying pan, bring to the boil and then add to the casserole. Season the casserole with salt and pepper, cover and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 – 3 hours, depending on the cut of meat.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a pan over a high heat, sauté the mushrooms and add to the casserole with the parsley about 15 minutes before the end of cooking.

To make the polenta, pour 1.7 litres water into a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to the boil, then add the salt and sprinkle in the polenta very slowly, letting it slip gradually through your fingers, whisking all the time (this should take 2-3 minutes). Bring to the boil and when it starts to erupt like a volcano, reduce the heat to the absolute minimum – use a heat diffuser mat if you have one.

Cook for about 40 minutes, stirring regularly. I use a whisk at the beginning but as soon as the polenta comes to the boil I change to a flat-bottomed wooden spoon. (If you stir constantly over a slightly higher heat, the cooking time can be reduced to about 20 minutes, but it is more digestible if cooked slowly over a longer period.) The polenta is cooked when it is very thick but not solid and comes away from the sides of the pan as you stir.

As soon as the polenta is cooked, stir in the butter, Parmesan and lots of freshly ground pepper. Taste and add a little more salt if necessary. It should be soft and flowing; if it is a little too stiff, add some boiling water.

Just before you’re ready to serve, make the gremolata by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Serve the casserole topped with the gremolata, if using, with the polenta, colcannon, mashed potatoes or noodles and a good green salad alongside, as you wish.

Braised Short Ribs with Scallion Mash

Short ribs deliver so much ‘bang for your buck’, tons of rich deep flavour from an inexpensive cut of meat that’s so worth knowing about.  This stew reheats brilliantly and when I have a tiny saucy bit leftover, I use it as a sauce with pasta, with a sprinkle of parmesan – so good.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

6 cross cut beef short ribs, trimmed

225g streaky bacon (in a piece if possible. Remove rind, dice bacon, fry out fat in 1 tbsp olive oil or duck fat)

225g sliced carrot

175g diced celery

6-8 cloves garlic, cut in half

1 chilli, sliced

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

2-3 large onions (1 sliced – the other 2 chopped)

1 tbsp tomato puree

200-250ml red wine

1 sprig of rosemary

2 bay leaves

small fistful of thyme sprigs

1 cinnamon stick

3 spirals of orange zest

beef or chicken stock

roux (optional)

parsley, coarsely chopped

Accompaniment

scallion mash or baked potatoes

wide sauté pan

casserole or heavy braising pot

Method

Preheat the oven to 160˚C/Gas Mark 3

If possible, trim and salt the beef the night before cooking.

Remove rind and dice the bacon.  Save the rind to cook with the beef, it adds gelatine to the sauce. 

Heat a little oil in a wide sauté pan and brown the bacon dice.  Remove to a plate.

Brown the beef in batches; do not overcrowd the sauté pan.  Leave 2 tbsp of fat in the pan and sweat the onion, carrot and celery, stirring to dissolve all browned bits in the sauté pan.  Add the garlic, chilli and peppers and sweat for 5-6 minutes or until limp.

Place the beef, bacon and vegetables in a casserole or heavy braising pot, preferably enamelled cast iron.

Add the tomato paste to the hot sauté pan and cook briefly.   Add wine and bring to the boil.  Pour this over the beef, add the herbs, cinnamon stick and orange zest and enough stock to come halfway up the pot.  Bring back to the boil.  Cover with a paper lid and a tight fitting lid.  Braise in a moderate oven 160˚C/Gas Mark 3 to low oven 150˚C/Gas Mark 2 until tender, 3-4½ hours (depending on size).  Pour off the liquid, allow to settle.

Skim the fat off the top (keep for roast potatoes).  Remove the herbs and bones from the pot if you wish.   Bring back to the boil.  Thicken the juices with a little roux if desired.  Taste and correct seasoning. Add back into the pot.  Scatter with coarsely chopped parsley.

If we are to read the stars, it looks like life as we know it is about to come to an abrupt end.

Several governments including Ireland have recently issued booklets to their citizens to highlight the importance of household resilience, urging us to be prepared for, among other things, possible upcoming food security issues.

Due to a combination of geopolitical events, wars in Ukraine, Gaza and the Middle East leading to global disruption and supply shortages. Escalating weather incidents precipitated by extreme climate change, wildfires, floods. It’s all gathering momentum into a perfect storm partly linked to El Nino.

Unless something extraordinary occurs to reverse this trend, we need to accept the reality and be Emergency Ready as the booklet says. No need to panic, just be prepared…

So, time to upskill, build resilience and do a What If Exercise!

Many of us, me included can just about do basic DIY, change a fuse but how to fix a plug? Most of our grandparents were almost self-sufficient but in recent years, life has intervened and many in our busy lives simply don’t have the time or inclination to be self-sufficient.

We’re so spoiled, nowadays, everything we need is easily accessible. Consequently, we have inadvertently allowed ourselves to become increasingly deskilled and have become completely reliant on others for our basic needs, most particularly the food that nourishes and keeps us alive.

If you are inclined, lettuce and salad leaves can be grown on your windowsill, still time to plant garlic too.

This is a food column so we will concentrate on that area.

Apparently, food prices are to rise by at least 4% before Christmas. After the last power outage, I hope everyone has invested in a gas ring for emergencies.

So, let’s ask ourselves, what if there’s no bread? Can you whip up a loaf of soda bread?

How about stocking your pantry with some shelf-stable foods – peas, beans, pulses, canned foods, flour, rice, oatmeal, honey, coffee, sugar, dry cured meat – charcuterie, salami …nutrient dense food.
Buy one or two items a week and of course label and date and use in rotation. Maybe store some root vegetables too, they keep really well in a clay pit.

Brush up on your foraging skills, freeze and preserve any surplus, still time to pick blackberries, they freeze excellently.

Windfall crab apples make delicious jellies, which can be flavoured with a myriad of foraged foods as well as blackberries, mountain ash, sloes, haws, sea buckthorn, elderberries. One can change the name to Forager’s Jelly.

Get yourself a copy of Self Sufficiency by John Seymour. Suddenly, maybe the folks who have made a decision to live ‘off grid’ don’t seem so crazy after all!

Get to know your local farmers and food producers and the folks at your nearest Farmers’ Market.

When shopping, make a determined effort to choose Irish. Local food systems will become ever more important.

Here are three recipes to get you started.

Basic Brown Soda Bread

Couldn’t be simpler, just mix and pour into a well-greased tin.  This bread keeps very well for several days and is also great toasted and of course freezes perfectly.

Makes 1 loaf or 3 small loaves

Ingredients

400g stone ground wholemeal flour

75g white flour, preferably unbleached

1 tsp salt

1 level tsp bread soda, sieved (bicarbonate of soda/baking soda)

1 egg, preferably free range

1 tbsp olive oil, unscented

1 tsp honey or treacle

425ml buttermilk or sour milk approx.

sunflower or sesame seeds (optional)

loaf tin 23 x 12.5 x 5cm OR 3 small loaf tins 14.6cm x 7.62cm

Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Method

Put all the dry ingredients including the sieved bread soda into a large bowl, mix well. Whisk the egg, add the oil, honey and buttermilk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in all the liquid, mix well and add more buttermilk if necessary. The mixture should be soft and slightly sloppy, pour into an oiled tin or tins – using a butter knife, draw a slit down the middle. Sprinkle some sunflower or sesame seeds on the top. Bake for 60 minutes approximately (45-50 minutes for small loaf tins), or until the bread is nice and crusty and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Super Seed Bread

Add 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp of sesame seeds, 1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp of kibbled wheat to the dry ingredients. Keep a mixture to scatter over the top.

Note

The quantity of buttermilk can vary depending on thickness.  Add 1-2 tbsp of cream to low-fat buttermilk (optional).

Forager’s Soup with Optional Chorizo Lardons

Throughout the seasons one can gather wild greens on a walk in the countryside – foraging soon becomes addictive.  Many greens are edible and some are immensely nutritious.  Arm yourself with a good well-illustrated guide and be sure to identify carefully and if in doubt – don’t risk it until you are quite confident.  Don’t overdo the very bitter herbs like dandelion.  Of course, the chorizo is optional – use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.

Serves 6

Ingredients

50g butter

150g diced potatoes (7mm)

110g diced onion (7mm)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

600ml light chicken stock

600ml creamy milk

250g chopped greens – alexanders, nettles, wild sorrel, a few young dandelions, wild garlic, borage leaves, wild rocket, ground elder, beech leaves, chickweed, watercress

extra virgin olive oil

75g chorizo or lardons of streaky bacon (optional)

Garnish

fresh parsley, chopped

Method

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When it foams, add potatoes and onions and turn them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. When the vegetables are almost soft but not coloured add the hot stock and boiling milk.  Bring back to the boil and cook until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the greens and boil with the lid off for 2-3 minutes approx. until the greens are just cooked. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour. Purée the soup in a liquidiser. Taste and correct seasoning.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan.  Add the diced chorizo or lardons of streaky bacon, cook over a low to medium heat until the fat starts to run and the bacon is crisp (careful, it’s easy to burn chorizo!).  Drain on kitchen paper.  Sprinkle over the soup as you serve.  Use the chorizo oil to drizzle over the soup also and scatter a few little chopped parsley on top and enjoy

Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic, Rosemary and Haricot Beans

If necessary, cook slowly over an open fire until the lamb shanks are meltingly tender and almost falling off the bone.

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 lamb shanks, 1kg approx.

12 small sprigs of rosemary

12 slivers garlic

6 anchovy fillets, halved (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Braising Ingredients

25g goose fat or duck fat or olive oil

2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

1 leek, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 head garlic, halved horizontally

200ml bottle good red wine

500ml chicken or lamb stock

1 sprig of thyme

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 bay leaves

2 strips of dried orange peel

Sauce

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

110g streaky bacon, cut into lardons and blanched

½ carrot, finely diced

½ celery stalk, finely diced

½ onion, finely diced

6 cloves garlic

4 very ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced or ½ x 400g tin of tomatoes + juice, chopped

2 sprigs of thyme

leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped

1 x 400g tin haricot beans, drained or 110-200g dried haricot beans, soaked overnight and then boiled rapidly for 20 minutes

chicken or lamb stock to cover

Garnish

sprigs of rosemary and thyme

Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2.

Method

Make 2 deep incisions in each lamb shank, insert a sprig of rosemary and a sliver of garlic wrapped in half an anchovy fillet (if using) into each incision. Season with salt and black pepper.

Heat the goose fat or extra virgin olive oil in a heavy sauté pan or casserole and sauté the meat in it until well browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan. Add the carrots, celery, leeks, onion and garlic and cook over a high heat until well browned. Add the red wine to the pan and bring to the boil, stir for a minute or two. Add the chicken stock, herbs and orange peel to the pan, then place the lamb shanks on top. Cover and cook in the oven for 4 hours.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and brown the bacon in it. Then reduce the heat and add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and cook for 8 minutes approx. or until the vegetables have softened. Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs, haricots and enough stock to half cover the beans. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes – 1 hour.

When the lamb has finished cooking, strain out the herbs and vegetables and discard. Degrease the cooking juices and add to the beans. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Serve the lamb shanks in a hot deep dish with the bean and vegetable sauce and the braising liquid.  Garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme

Just back from a few inspirational days at Slow Food Terra Madre and Salone del Gusto in Turin – an unmissable biannual event – life changing. I’d forgotten what a beautiful, elegant city Turin is. It was the royal seat of the House of Savoy and is defined by its baroque architecture – majestic royal palaces, wide avenues and extensive covered arches and wonderful, mature trees…Turin’s Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum) has the most significant collection of Egyptian artefacts outside Egypt and the Shroud of Turin located in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. It is renowned for its historic coffee-houses, artisan chocolates including gianduja and the irresistible bicerin – a combination of coffee and chocolate, topped with a generous blob of ice cold cream. 1,500 delegates came from 120 countries to meet and shape a vision for transforming the global food system, protect biodiversity and advocate for peace and justice.  It was an opportunity to share their experience and showcase their products. Overall, the event attracted over 300,000 people including farmers, fishers, indigenous leaders, cooks, researchers and activists. Many came clutching their endangered seeds, beans, grains, spices and ferments. The Icelanders brought their traditional dried stockfish to highlight an almost lost tradition stretching back over 1,100 years. The exhibition will travel all over Italy to raise awareness of endangered foods. We had tastes of traditional food from Taiwan, the Philippines, Azerbaijan, Columbia, Mexico, Nigeria….Slow Food is a global, grassroots movement founded in 1986 by Carlo Petrini as a protest when the first McDonald’s in Rome opened near the famous Piazza di Spagna, the Spanish Steps in Rome. It was the end of life as he and his friends knew it, something had to be done! Now, Slow Food is an international organisation active in over 160 countries promoting local food, traditional cooking and sustainable farming as an alternative to ultra-processed foods and fast-paced modern life. There is also Slow Fashion and Slow Travel, a mindful approach to clothing and travel that encourages the same ethos of Good, Clean, and Fair including paying a fair price to the producers and the workers. Slow Food protects biodiversity, safeguards traditional recipes from disappearing, supports local economies and encourages people to buy from small farmers, producers, local markets and artisans. It also promotes education, teaches people where their food comes from and how our daily food choices impact the planet. What’s not to like about that philosophy…Before Covid, Slow Food was very active in Ireland with 12 convivia (chapters), but the pandemic disrupted the flow, and it has taken time to recover its mojo…Slow Food East Cork based here at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry holds regular events. The last one was a screening of the Nut Farmers of Glastonbury. The next on Wednesday, December 2^nd, there is a Beginners Guide to Biodynamic Farming with Joe Prendergast. Keep an eye on social media for details @ballymaloecookeryschool – Check out https://www.slowfood.com/ for details of how to be part of the Slow Food Movement. Here’s a little taste of Turin to recreate at home.

Anchovies Crostini

This simple little anchovy bite which I enjoyed at Antiche Sere in Turin is much more than the sum of its parts. A perfect starter or irresistible bite with a glass of crisp white wine.

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 slices of best white bread (could be sourdough)

Whipped Butter

120g butter, softened

3 tbsp whole milk

24 anchovies

freshly cracked black pepper

Method

First make the whipped butter, put the soft butter into a bowl, whip it for 1-2 minutes with a handheld beater. Add the milk, whisk it slowly at first, then increase to high speed for 3-4 minutes until it turns pale and light and fluffy and has the texture of whipped cream.

Just before serving, toast the bread on both sides, cut into rectangles approx. 8cm long x 4cm wide.

Pipe a little riff of whipped butter along the centre, top with 2 anchovies and sprinkle with freshly cracked pepper or ground coffee as at Antiche Sere – a surprise but delicious.

Vitello Tonnata Salad

A much-loved starter in Piedmont, some chefs ‘posh’ it up with various garnish, this is the basic, unadulterated version and is delicious!

We ate several versions, one included candied capers, another at Café Stratta in Piazza San Carlo included crystallised kumquats.

Very thin slices of cooked pork fillet or chicken breast are also delicious with this tonnata sauce.

Serves 8

24 thin slices of cooked rosé veal

Ingredients

Tonnata Sauce

4 rounded tbsp homemade Mayonnaise

75g canned tuna in oil and 2 tbsp of the oil

2 anchovies, chopped

1 dsp of best capers

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

To Serve

24 capers

Method

First make the Tonnata Sauce.

Put the mayonnaise into a food-processor with the tuna, oil, anchovies, capers, lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper. Whizz until smooth, taste and transfer to a bowl.

Arrange 3-4 paper thin slices of veal on each plate. Put a blob of tonnata sauce on top. Sprinkle a few capers on each one.

Bicerin

Bicerin, the famous speciality of Turin made from rich hot chocolate and strong espresso, topped with cold whipped cream.

Use a glass so you can see all three layers.

Add a little caster sugar to chocolate if you enjoy it a little sweeter.

Serves 4

Ingredients

90g semi-sweet chocolate (62% cocoa or higher), chopped

250ml whole milk

espresso or very strong coffee

chilled, softly whipped, sweetened cream (add ½ – 1 tbsp icing sugar to 200ml whipped cream)

Method

Melt the chopped chocolate in milk over a medium heat.  Whisk together.

Fill the bottom third of a clear, heat-resistant glass with the warm chocolate mixture. Pour in some espresso or strong coffee – pour it over the back of a spoon, into the glass. Top with a swirl of sweetened, whipped cream – grate a little chocolate over the top, not essential but delicious!

Regular readers of my column will know how highly concerned I am about our growing addiction to ultra-processed food. We already eat more ultra-processed foods on average than any other country in Europe, less than America you’ll be glad to hear but we’re fast catching up – not a statistic we can be proud of.  This is a serious business as the percentage of ultra-processed foods we eat increases so does the percentage of cancers, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity.  The research is all there and evidence continues to mount. It’s not easy in these busy times to keep all the balls in the air, dash home from work, do a shop on the way, get a meal on the table, maybe help with homework.  Something quick and easy to heat up that is in many instances less expensive, highly addictive is understandably tempting. I don’t know the answer and to compound it all we’ve let two generations out of our homes, schools without equipping them with the basic practical cooking skills to feed themselves properly, thus playing right into the hands of the multinational fast food companies. The more deskilled we allow ourselves to become, the more dependent we are on others to provide us with our food. Let’s take back control which brings me to Sophie Morris whose second book has just arrived on my desk. Her first book ‘Sophies Swaps’ became an instant bestseller and won the An Post Irish Book Award for Lifestyle Book of the Year 2025. Sophie, a busy mother of two boys loves to feed her family yummy wholesome food. Desperately trying to source nutrient dense produce in the supermarket. She studied the labels intensely and became increasingly concerned about the numerous colourings, additives and processing aids. In many cases, she found swaps with less or no additives and shared her finds on social media, gaining a large number of grateful followers. Companies were not unaware of the adverse effect on their sales and have in many cases reviewed their products, Bravo Sophie! Her much anticipated latest book is called ‘Homemade Wins’, the first chapters are worth the price of the cookbook alone. Understanding Ultra-Processed Foods and its Impact. Changing Our Mindset for Long-Term Health. Convenience Cooking and Freezing. How to Read a Food Label. Store-Cupboard Essentials and Hero Products. Weekly Meal Plan and Reducing Waste at Home. Simple Cooking Swaps. And then there are 60 plus carefully chosen yummy recipes. I just wanted to cook lots and lots of them, so tempting – here are three to get you started.

*Recipes are from Sophie’s Swaps Homemade Wins by Sophie Morris published by DK (Doris Kindersley Limited)

Spicy Cauliflower “Wings”

Serves 4 as a starter or side

PREP 10 MINUTES

COOK 30 MINUTES

These cauliflower “wings” are a great homemade swap for spicy takeaway-style chicken wings. When my husband and I first met in our twenties, we used to love eating these at a local restaurant but have since swapped to making them at home and much prefer the homemade version now. The cauliflower is coated in a simple spiced batter, baked until crisp and golden, then tossed in a buttery hot sauce that gives them that classic spicy wing flavour. They make a brilliant and delicious meat-free option for dinner or for sharing. Serve them straight from the oven with a simple green salad on the side. Frank’s Hot Sauce is a must for this recipe!

Ingredients

100g plain flour

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp sea salt

150ml milk

1 cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

green salad, to serve

For the spicy sauce

6 tbsp hot sauce (I like Frank’s Hot Sauce)

3 tbsp melted butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and line two baking trays with baking parchment.

In a large bowl, combine the flour with the spices and salt. Add the milk and stir until you have a thick batter.

Add the cauliflower florets to the batter, coating each piece evenly and then place on the prepared baking trays. Be sure to leave room between each piece of cauliflower, so they crisp up.

Bake for around 30 minutes until golden.

While the cauliflower bakes, combine the hot sauce with the melted butter and whisk to combine.

When the cauliflower is done, toss with the hot sauce in the bowl until well coated.

Serve immediately with a simple green salad on the side.

BEEF & BEAN BURGERS

Serves 6

PREP 10 MINUTES

CHILL 20 MINUTES

COOK 10 MINUTES

These are a healthy homemade swap for the classic burger. By mixing minced (ground) beef with black beans, you get burgers that are juicy, full of flavour, and more nourishing, too. The beans stretch the meat further and add fibre and micronutrients. Serve in soft burger buns with melted cheese, crunchy gherkins, and a generous spoonful of my homemade barbecue sauce and mayo. If you’re feeling organized, you can even make the bread rolls from the Breads chapter, which turns this into a completely homemade burger night – and it’s far easier than you might think!

Ingredients

400g minced (ground) beef (15-20% fat content)

400g can black beans, drained and rinsed

½ small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 egg

3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs

drizzle of olive oil

salt and black pepper

To serve

6 slices Cheddar cheese

6 burger buns

gherkins, sliced

Sweet and Smoky BBQ Sauce (see recipe)

Mayonnaise (see recipe)

Special equipment

food processor

Method

Put the mince, beans, onion, garlic, spices, egg, breadcrumbs, and some salt and pepper in a food processor and blitz to combine.

Shape the mixture into six patties and refrigerate them for at least 20 minutes before cooking.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan (skillet) and cook the burgers for around 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Place a slice of cheese on each burger for the final minute of cooking and allow it to melt.

Split and toast the buns lightly.

Add the burgers to the buns along with some sliced gherkins and a generous spoonful of barbecue sauce and mayo.

Tips

You can omit the spices if making for picky kids. The uncooked patties can be frozen, place them on a tray lined with baking parchment, ensuring they are not touching and freeze until firm (about 1-2 hours). Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, defrost the patties overnight in the fridge, then cook as in the recipe.

Sweet and Smoky BBQ Sauce

This homemade barbecue sauce is such a great swap for store-bought sauces. It’s absolutely delicious, takes practically no effort and is made in minutes.

Makes 1 small jar

PREP 1 MINUTE

COOK 5 MINUTES

Ingredients

2 tbsp tomato purée (paste)

2 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp honey, or to taste

6 tbsp balsamic vinegar, or to taste

4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Method

Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and mix together well. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring, until thick.

Taste and adjust the sweetness with more honey, or sourness with more vinegar, if needed.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Five-Minute Mayonnaise

Makes 350-400ml

PREP 5 MINUTES

Ingredients

2 egg yolks (I tend to throw the reserved egg whites into an omelette with a few whole eggs)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Good pinch of sea salt

300-350ml mild-flavoured oil (mild olive oil works well)

juice of ½ – 1 lemon, to taste

2-3 tbsp white wine vinegar, to taste

Method

Put the egg yolks, mustard and salt into a medium bowl and whisk together with a balloon whisk until well combined.

Very slowly start adding the oil, a few drops at a time at first, whisking continuously. Once the mixture begins to thicken and emulsify, you can start adding the oil in a slow, steady stream while whisking quickly and constantly.

Continue whisking and adding oil until the mayonnaise becomes thick, smooth and glossy.

Stir in the lemon juice and white wine vinegar, tasting as you go until you have a balance of richness and acidity that you like.

If the mayonnaise becomes too thick, whisk 1-2 teaspoons of water to loosen it slightly.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Note: You can also make this in a food processor.

“SNICKERS” & “BOUNTY” CHOCOLATE BITES

Makes 12

These are my homemade versions of two classic chocolate bars. Sweet, chewy Medjool dates offer a caramel-like base, then simply add nuts or coconut, cover in dark chocolate, and you’ve got a freezer stash of delicious chocolate treats made entirely from real food ingredients, ready to grab whenever you want something sweet. They genuinely taste better than the originals. Not only that, they also are supportive of your health, avoiding giving you a sugar high and the subsequent crash. Using a silicone muffin tray (pan) makes this recipe much easier, but you can place them directly onto baking parchment too.

For the “Snickers” Bites

12 large Medjool dates

2-3 tbsp smooth peanut butter

2-3 tbsp roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped

200g dark (semisweet) chocolate (70% cocoa solids), melted

For the “Bounty” Bites

12 large Medjool dates

60g desiccated (dried, shredded, unsweetened) coconut

2 tbsp coconut cream (or use the thick part from the top of a can of coconut milk)

200g dark (semisweet) chocolate (70% cocoa solids), melted

Special equipment

12-hole silicone muffin tray (pan)

Slice each date down the centre without cutting all the way through. Remove the pit and gently flatten with your hands. Place each date into the bottom of a 12-hole silicone muffin tray or lay them flat side by side on a baking tray (baking sheet) lined with baking parchment.

For the “Snickers” Bites Spoon or drizzle peanut butter into each date (it helps to warm the peanut butter slightly, so it’s extra drizzly) and sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top of the peanut butter.

For the “Bounty” Bites In a bowl, mix the desiccated coconut with the coconut cream until you have a thick, slightly sticky mixture. Spoon the coconut mixture into each flattened date.

Spoon over the melted chocolate to completely cover each date and filling.

Put the tray into the freezer for 30-45 minutes until hardened, then pop the bites out of the tray and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tip

If eating straight from the freezer, allow them to sit for a few minutes to soften slightly before enjoying.

As costs soar, many busy Mums and Dads have the same dilemma – How to put delicious, nourishing, wholesome food on the table for the family, without ‘breaking the bank’. Well, let’s concentrate on sourcing the most nutrient-dense ingredients and see what we can do with those. Porridge oats are one of the most nutritious and least expensive grains, not just to make a steaming bowl of porridge (add any leftover to the ingredients for a soda bread) but also to make morish flapjacks for school lunches. Brown and white rice, also inexpensive, the foundation of a myriad of a sweet and savoury dishes and a base for so many proteins – a bowl of risotto will feed the family well and deliciously for just a few euros. Whole grain pasta is also inexpensive and a super way to stretch meals and has a low glycaemic index. All brilliant but the real secret weapon in terms of ‘bang for your buck’ are the pulses – peas, beans, chickpeas and lentils, the variety is staggering. Flageolet, black-eyed, haricot, butter or lima, mung, adzuki, borlotti or cranberry and black beans… and then there’s chickpeas and carlin peas. These pulses are widely available in local health food shops or even on supermarket shelves. If you really want to save money, buy them dry – they are inevitably shelf-stable, soak them overnight in lots of water so they double in size. A few tins or jars of pre-cooked beans are super to have in the pantry for an emergency. There’s virtually nothing you can’t do with them: soups, salads, stews, curries, purées… mix and match. They have wide varieties of flavours and are the cheapest form of protein; why don’t we eat more of them? A few more nutritious thoughts. Eggs also provide lots of protein, vitamin D and B12 at low cost. Cabbage and root vegetables cost very little, keep for ages in a cool place and are super versatile. Frozen spinach and peas still have a high percentage of their nutrients intact and lots of fibre in which so many are deficient. Canned tomatoes are definitely worth the money, a brilliant basis for beans and provide lots of the antioxidant lycopene and don’t forget potatoes are a wonder food with tons of vitamin C, iron, potassium and fibre. Our food should be our medicine, so go out of your way to find chemical-free, organic food – may seem more costly initially but better to pay the farmer or food producers to keep you healthy rather than the doctor or pharmacist to undo the damage.

Chilli con carne

My favourite recipe for chilli con carne.

The accompaniments are a crucially important part of the enjoyment of the chilli con carne – they make it into a feast.

Serves 6

Ingredients

500-725g stewing beef (better than mince), cut into 1-2cm cubes

extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small green pepper, seeded, sliced

Colorado Sauce (see recipe)

1 tbsp tomato concentrate (optional)

1 tsp ground cumin

250g red kidney beans, cooked

salt and brown sugar

To Serve

sour cream

Cheddar cheese

fresh coriander

Tortilla Chips (see recipe)

Tomato and Coriander Salsa (see recipe)

Avocado Sauce (optional – see recipe)

Method

Trim the meat where necessary and brown it in olive oil. Transfer to a casserole. Brown the onion lightly in the same oil, add the crushed garlic and continue to cook for a minute or two and scrape on to the meat. Add the green pepper, Colorado sauce and just enough water to cover the ingredients. Cover tightly and leave to stew until cooked, keeping the heat low. Check the liquid occasionally. By the end of the cooking time, it should have reduced to a brownish red thick sauce. If it reduces too soon because the lid of the pan is not a tight fit, or you had the heat too high, top it up with water.

Last of all add the tomato if used, the cumin, the kidney beans if you are not serving them separately as a salad, with salt and brown sugar to taste. Simmer for a further 15 minutes, put a blob of sour cream on top of the chilli con carne, sprinkle with grated cheese.  Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with Tortilla Chips, Tomato and Coriander Salsa and optional Avocado Sauce.

Colorado Sauce

A delicious sauce to use when making chilli con carne, rather than the chilli powder sold in small bottles. It can also be used as a marinating mixture.

Ingredients

6-7 small, dried chillies, or 4-5 large fresh ones

1 large red pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic

salt

Method

If the chillies are dried, soak them in a little water for an hour, then slit them and wash out the seeds. Discard the stalks, do the same with the large pepper. Purée with the other ingredients, using the soaking water if necessary to moisten the vegetables. If you use chillies, you might need a tablespoon or two of cold water. Season with salt. You can keep this sauce in a covered container in the fridge for two days, or you can freeze it.

Avocado Sauce

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados

3-4 tbsp lime or lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

sea salt

1 tbsp fresh coriander or flat parsley

Method

Scoop out the flesh from the avocados.  Mash the flesh with a fork, add lime juice, olive oil, chopped coriander, salt and pepper to taste. 

Tomato and Coriander Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

Best in Summer and early Autumn when tomatoes are ripe and juicy.

This sauce is ever present on Mexican tables to serve with all manner of dishes. Salsas of all kinds both fresh and cooked have now become a favourite accompaniment to everything from pan-grilled meat to a piece of sizzling fish.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

4 very ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp red or white onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ – 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped Jalapeno or Serrano

1-2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

squeeze of fresh lime juice

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

Method

Mix all the ingredients together. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Totopos – Tortilla Chips

Tortilla chips make an excellent alternative to crisps; they will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

Serves 4

Ingredients

6-8 tortillas

oil for deep frying

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp Parmesan cheese – Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)

½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

Cut the tortillas into eighths. Alternatively, corn tortillas can be cut into strips, 5 x 1cm, but this is not advisable for wheat flour tortillas, which break too easily.

Heat the oil to 200°C.

Fry the pieces until they are light brown, stir occasionally to ensure that all the tortillas brown evenly.  Drain on absorbent paper, season and toss with the salt and Parmesan and/or cayenne if desired. 

Serve cold on their own or with a dip such as Guacamole. 

Autumn Black-eyed Bean, Pumpkin and Chickpea Stew

Recipe from One Pot Feeds All by Darina Allen, published by Kyle Books

One of the very best vegetarian one-pot dishes. What’s not to like about black-eyed beans, chickpeas and pumpkin with lots of spices? Delicious on its own, but equally good with a roast chicken or a few lamb chops. Eat with flatbreads or pilaff rice, if you prefer.

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 x 2.5cm cinnamon stick

150g onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

225g fresh mushrooms, sliced approx. 3mm thick

450g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut in 2cm cubes

400g fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground turmeric

a pinch of sugar

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

225g dried black-eyed beans, strained

110g dried chickpeas, strained

1 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp chopped coriander

For the Mint Yoghurt

300ml natural yogurt

1 tbsp chopped mint leaves

Method

Drain the chickpeas and black-eyed beans.  Pop into two separate saucepans, cover with fresh water, bring to the boil and cook until tender, this can take anything from 30-60 minutes. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium-high heat. When it is hot, put in the cumin seeds and the cinnamon stick. Let them sizzle for 5-6 seconds, then add the onions and garlic. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the onion is just beginning to colour at the edges.  Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms wilt, then add the pumpkin or squash, tomatoes, ground coriander, cumin and turmeric, a pinch of sugar and the cayenne. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then cover with a lid and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and tip in the drained beans and chickpeas. Add the salt and pepper, together with 2 of coriander. Pour in 150ml of the bean cooking liquid and 150ml of the chickpea liquid. Return to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make the mint yogurt, combine the yogurt with the chopped mint in a bowl.

Remove the cinnamon stick from the pan before serving and sprinkle with the remaining coriander. Spoon into serving bowls and top with a dollop of the mint yogurt. Accompany with a good green salad and rice, if you wish.

Red Lentil Dahl

One can never have too many dahl recipes. We’ve got lots in our repertoire. This one was given to me by a friend who says it’s her favourite.

Serves 6

Ingredients

250g red lentils

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

170g onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp coriander seeds, ground

1 tsp cumin seeds, ground

½ tsp fennel seeds, ground

½ tsp chilli powder, or to your taste

1 tsp turmeric

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 tbsp Forum white wine vinegar

1 stick of fresh cinnamon

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Method

Cover the lentils with water. Bring to the boil and cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain. It’ll be a thick purée.

Meanwhile, sweat the chopped onions in extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add the spices, mix well and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the crushed garlic, vinegar and the cooked lentils and the stick of cinnamon. Next add the tomatoes, when it bubbles, turn down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Taste and season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary. Scatter with lots of coarsely chopped coriander leaves and serve with an Indian flat bread – naan, paratha, poori….

This column was prompted by the recent arrival of Kate Ryan’s ‘Blood, Guts and Black Pudding’ on my desk. One cannot but be in awe of the phenomenal amount of research that went into this incredibly important book. Makes for riveting reading, not just for academics but for all of us who care deeply about our traditional food and the loss of a vital part of our food culture. It reminds us of traditions that are in imminent danger of disappearing. Every culture around the world knew and understood the nutritional value of blood and used it to make many products including a variety of blood sausages. Here in Ireland, it has been an important part of life for centuries, it sustained warriors in epic battles, staved off hunger, offered protection from bad luck and provided sustenance during winter. It was drawn from living animals and collected from dead ones, stuffed into guts and boiled until cooked or stirred into bloody porridges over turf fires. It was even in the mortar of walls. During Ireland’s colonisation, the British were shocked by the Irish practice of consuming blood often from live animals and eating and using it in a variety of ways They used this observation to denigrate the rural Irish population depicting them as ‘base and savage’, in need of civilising. In fact, this was a sophisticated practice rooted in a deep knowledge of the health requirements of both animals and humans, resourceful and delicious. During the Irish famine, tenant farmers who had, had to surrender all their animals to their landlords would sometimes bleed them in secret on a Sunday hence the old saying, ‘The Kerry cow knows it’s Sunday…’Many artisan versions, particularly in East European countries, Asia and the Americas are still made with fresh blood resulting in a delicious soft textured pudding unlike the commercial pudding now made with rehydrated dried blood powder to comply with modern processing regulations. Talking about blood and guts brings memories tumbling back of making black pudding with my great aunt in Co. Tipperary when I was a child in the 1960’s. At that time, virtually everyone in both urban and rural areas kept a pig to fatten, even the post mistress in our little village of Cullohill in Co. Laois kept a couple of pigs. They were fed on barley, food scraps from her kitchen and lots of boiled potatoes and bran. Skim milk, called ‘slop milk’ was known to be good for fattening the pigs. Note the irony of that…. Remember when low-fat milk came on stream in the 1980s, costing more, supposedly slimming and better for us, a brilliant bit of marketing! For the last few weeks before slaughter, the pigs were kept indoors to fatten them up, often fed slop beer from a local pub so they would doze and put on more condition before slaughtering. The pork was unforgettably sweet and juicy. Throughout the country, heritage pigs were slaughtered during colder weather, in the late Autumn and Winter when flies posed less threat. Many homes in rural areas didn’t have electricity at that time, so, no fridges or freezers. Blood was salted to prevent coagulation. In virtually every parish there was a local slaughter man, who was known to be skilled in his profession, he’d be contacted when the pig or pigs were considered to be in prime condition. Some cuts were eaten fresh as pork. The remainder was turned into well-salted bacon, stored in layers in timber barrels or tanks and left for around 3 weeks to cure. Afterwards, the hams were hung up inside the chimney to gradually smoke. The salty bacon was hung from rafters in the pantry or kitchen – this prolonged food for the year. Back fat was cut into small dice to be added to the fresh blood for black pudding, as well as oatmeal, pepper, salt, nutmeg and mixed spices. Recipes varied and were rarely if ever written down, skill was passed from grandmother to mother to daughter, in the time-honoured way. The chosen pig would be fasted for a couple of days before the slaughter. On the appointed day, the hungry pig (from my memory, always a female) was easily enticed into a shed by the smell of some cooked potatoes and milk in a trough. A mighty blow to the head with a heavy sledgehammer rendered the animal unconscious, then it was strung up and bled. Every precious drop of blood was collected in spotlessly clean enamel buckets or basins. The intestines were washed in a stone trough under running spring water from the pump in the yard, turned inside out and then scraped of extra fat. Aunt Lil and I did this, the making of the puddings was always considered to be women’s work. Meanwhile, the men gutted the pig. The skin was shaved with the help of sharp knife and boiling water. The men butchered the carcass into joints; the heart was stewed, the kidneys and liver were used fresh, and the fillet was greatly prized. It was a huge amount of work but wonderfully convivial. Both puddings and meat were shared with neighbours who flocked to help in the Irish tradition of the Meitheal, they returned the compliment when their turn came to kill a pig. Everyone had their job and the neighbours who helped got a little of the fresh pork and maybe a bit of the black and white pudding. The latter was made from the minced scraps of meat, liver, lights (lungs) and oatmeal – also delicious. The making of the black and white puddings was Aunt Lil’s speciality. She tasted the raw mixture, poured it into the washed intestines, tied them into coils, then carefully poached, pricked here and there with a sterilised darning needle so they didn’t burst. I’ve never tasted anything so delicious before or since – what a tragedy that it is now so difficult to source fresh blood in great part due to the onerous regulations. A chapter in Kate Ryan’s book also discusses the four types of Irish fresh blood pudding that are either endangered or have already become extinct in the Irish diet. Drisheen now made from beef blood, is still alive and well in O’Reilly’s stall in the English Market in Cork but for how long more?  Packet, Achill Belly and Gooseneck puddings and dumplings, a whole other fascinating but sadly depressing story. Blood, Guts and Black Pudding, charts the complete history of Ireland’s great pudding tradition from pre-Christian times to the modern era, celebrating the many ways various bloods have been cooked, eaten and enjoyed.  It also asks the salutary question… What else is lost when the blood is gone…

Blood, Guts & Black Pudding: Ireland’s Dying Art of Blood as Food published by Nine Bean Rows.

Aunt Lil’s Black Pudding

Recipe from Forgotten Skills by Darina Allen published by Kyle Books

I learned how to make blood pudding (black pudding) when I was only about eight or nine years old, from my Great-Aunt Lil in County Tipperary.  It was a completely matter-of-fact activity, and seemed very normal to me, part of the natural cycle. I never felt squeamish about the blood. If you are going to make your own black pudding, I encourage you to gather children around. This may sound rather gruesome, but it’s a healthy thing for them to understand the reality of nature and traditional food production.

Makes 7-8kgs (approximately)

About 2kgs fat scraped from the intestines of one freshly slaughtered pig

2.6 litres blood from a fresh, free-range pig (as soon as the blood is drawn, stir and add 1 tbsp or more salt)

Ingredients

50g ground allspice

25g ground white pepper

salt to taste

1 nutmeg, freshly grated

2 tsp thyme leaves

dash of cayenne

110g white breadcrumbs

75g wholemeal flour

natural casings – ox runners

Method

Boil the fat from the intestines in 2.5 litres of water or pork broth until it is cooked. Strain the fat and mince. Beat the blood and put it through a sieve. Put the cooking liquid into a basin of hot water. Add all the other ingredients. Increase the amount of breadcrumbs and flour slightly if the mixture is not enough – it should be the consistency of sloppy porridge. Fill the casings with a funnel (do not fill too much as you need to allow for swelling) and prick with a sterilized darning needle so they don’t burst.

Put the filled casings into a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer very gently for about 1 hour.

Black puddings can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 days. Traditionally, they were cut into thick slices and cooked gently on both sides in a little bacon fat or melted butter. Eat them with crispy rashers for breakfast or on their own with bread and butter.

Ballymaloe Homemade Sausages

Recipe from Forgotten Skills by Darina Allen published by Kyle Books

Sausages made from 100 percent lean meat may sound good, but for sweetness and succulence one needs some fat. The addition of breadcrumbs is not just to add bulk, it greatly improves the texture also.

Serves 8

Makes 16 Small or 8 large sausages

Ingredients

450g good, fat streaky pork (rindless), minced

2 tbsp mixed fresh herbs (e.g. parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram, rosemary and sage)

60g soft white breadcrumbs

1 large garlic clove

1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper

1 organic egg (optional – helps to bind – reduce breadcrumbs to 50g if omitting egg)

dash of oil for frying

50g natural sheep or hog casings (optional)

Method

Chop the herbs finely and mix through the breadcrumbs. Crush the garlic to a paste with a little salt. Whisk the egg (if using) and then mix into the other ingredients thoroughly. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Fry off a little knob of the mixture to check the seasoning. Correct if necessary. Fill the mixture into natural sausage casings and tie. Twist into sausages at regular intervals. Alternatively, divide into 16 pieces and roll into lengths to make skinless sausages. Cover and chill.

Homemade sausages are best eaten fresh but will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days.

When ready to eat, fry gently on a barely oiled pan on a medium heat until golden on all sides. These sausages are particularly delicious served with Bramley Apple Sauce.

Note

For breakfast sausages, omit the herbs and garlic.

Dry-Cured Bacon

Recipe from Forgotten Skills by Darina Allen published by Kyle Books

A dry-cure can just be salt, or a combination of salt, sugar and flavourings such as spices and herbs. In a dry-cure, the salt or salt and sugar dehydrate the meat or fish. The spices and herbs add flavour. Some dry-cured meats do not need to be cooked, like Parma ham, pancetta and smoked salmon. On the other hand, others do, such as bacon or ham.

Makes 1kg bacon

Serves 6

Ingredients

pork (streaky, loin or shoulder) – for every 1kg, use:

1 tbsp dairy salt

1 tsp Demerara sugar

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp bay leaf, finely chopped

1 tsp rosemary, chopped

1 tsp thyme, finely chopped

Method

Mix all the cure ingredients together. Remove the rind from the pork. (If you prefer, you can leave the rind on; it takes just a few hours longer to cure). Then rub the cure mixture thoroughly into the surface of the meat with your fingers.

Put the meat in a plastic box or a stainless-steel or enamel roasting tin. If you are doing more than one piece, you can layer up the meat, making sure to rub both sides with the curing mixture. Transfer to a fridge or cold-room to cure. Place something under the container (like a towel or book) on one side so it is on an angle, and the juices can run off. Take the meat out after curing and rinse it under cold tap water.

Hang the piece of bacon in a cold, airy spot to dry. If you are doing more than one piece, make sure they are not touching while drying. After that, streaky or normal bacon is ready to be fried or boiled. It keeps for weeks and sometimes months, depending on the quality and size.

My goodness, haven’t salads come a long way since the word salad meant only one thing, butterhead lettuce, sliced tomato, hard-boiled egg, a vinegary beetroot pickle, a scallion, maybe a few radishes for a posh version and of course Chef salad cream, that was in in pre mayo days.
Fast forward to now, literally the world is your oyster. Think seasonal – salads, can of course be warm, cold, room temperature…
We’re definitely thinking cool during the current heat waves. It’s been far too hot to even think about turning on an oven so let’s think what’s at its best at present. I love to incorporate ripe juicy nectarines, apricots or peaches into summer salads as well as crisp cucumber, beets, radishes, zucchini, aubergines and of course early tomatoes of many hues.
Crisp lettuce is best. The growth of some outdoor lettuce has actually been slowed because of the heat. Otherwise, a greyhound cabbage with its pointy nose is also delicious.
Love a few crunchy toasted nuts too and I can’t get enough of summer beets. At present were enjoying mixing purple, yellow, and striped chioggia beets for carpaccio of beetroot, just a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some rocket leaves maybe a few shreds of burrata and a grating of  fresh lemon zest, simple and exquisite.
Café Cecilia across from Regents Canal in London is one of my favourite restaurants.
This zucchini, apricot, stracciatella and roast apricot salad is inspired by one of Max Rocha’s recipes, love the way he’s perked up the flavours with a little chopped rosemary in the dressing.
Also made this combination with some delicious smoked trout that I was gifted by Birgitta Hedin-Curtin from Burren Smokehouse in County Clare.
Goatsbridge Trout Farm smoked trout is also worth seeking out or else you could warm smoke your own fish on some smouldering wood chips,  just 4 to 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish fillet. So easy to do, I use an old biscuit tin over a medium gas flame.
Crunchy toasted nuts also add an extra dimension to a salad, walnuts, pecans, even almonds.
You’ll find the pickled radish and cucumber delicious in many salads and starters. Such a good recipe to use up a glut of radishes before they get woody.

Smoked Trout and Pickled Cucumber Salad inspired by Max Rocha of Café Cecilia

Max served a trout confit, but we love it with warm smoked trout too.

It’s super easy to hot-smoke your own fish. We use an old biscuit tin but it’s worth buying one of those simple stainless-steel smokers.

Serves 2

Ingredients 

For the pickles

1 tbsp sugar 

100ml white wine vinegar

1 tsp salt 

½ cucumber, finely sliced (on a mandoline, ideally)

5 breakfast radishes, finely sliced (on a mandoline, ideally)

hot smoked trout (see recipe)

200ml olive oil 

3 sprigs thyme

2 garlic cloves, peeled 

For the salad

6 tbsp good-quality olive oil 

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp white wine vinegar 

1 bunch watercress (about 80g)

juice of ½ lemon 

extra virgin olive oil, to finish 

4 sprigs chervil, leaves picked

4 sprigs dill, leaves picked 

Method 

First, make the pickle by combining 100ml water with the sugar, vinegar and salt in a saucepan, then gradually increase the heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour this over the cucumber and radishes in a bowl and set aside. 

For the salad, combine the olive oil, mustard and white wine vinegar. Drain the pickles and put them in a bowl with the watercress and 1 ½ tablespoons of the vinaigrette (save the rest for other salads in the week). Mix and taste for seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon juice, a few extra drops of olive oil and a pinch each of sea salt and black pepper as required. 

Flake each trout fillet into 4-5 pieces, then divide half of the fish between 2 plates. Arrange half of the pickles and watercress mix on top, lay on the rest of the smoked fish, then top with the remaining pickle mix. Garnish with the fresh herb sprigs and a pinch of flaky sea salt. 

How to Hot-Smoke Fish

A brilliant basic skill and so fun to do.

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

The salt draws out excess moisture and inhibits the growth of bacteria. Both salt and smoke preserve. One you master the simple technique of hot-smoking, how about attempting to smoke chicken or duck breasts…

Serves 4

Ingredients

4-6 portions of wild salmon, trout, haddock, mackerel or hake

pure salt (not table salt)

Method

Lay the fish fillets, flesh side up, on a tray and sprinkle the fish with pure salt as though you were seasoning generously.  Be careful as it’s easy to over-salt if the fillets are thin.

Depending on the thickness of the fish, leave for at least 1 hour but not more than 3 hours. Dry the fillets with kitchen paper, place on a wire rack and leave to dry in a cool, airy place for 30 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sawdust (I use apple wood) on the base of a rectangular biscuit cookie or smoking box.

Put a wire rack into the tin and lay the fish, flesh side up, on top. Put the box over a medium gas flame for a minute or so until the sawdust starts to smoulder. Cover the box.

Reduce the heat and smoke for 4-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.  Turn off the heat and leave the fish to sit in the tin/smoked unopened for 5 minutes.

Careful, it’s easy to over smoke!

Remove from the box and use as desired.

Max Rocha’s Courgette, Apricot, Stracciatella and Roast Almonds 

Serves 2

Ingredients 

1 green courgette 

extra virgin olive oil 

1 tsp balsamic vinegar 

zest of 1 lemon

½ bunch of basil, leaves picked

1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced 

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 ripe apricots 

200g stracciatella (see tip)

Dressing

45g whole roast almonds

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar 

1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped 

Method 

Slice the courgette lengthwise into thin strips, brush with extra virgin olive oil and grill in a hot griddle pan for about two minutes per side, until richly charred.

Prepare the marinade by putting 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, basil, garlic and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Fold in the courgette until evenly coated.

Roughly chop the almonds, put them in a bowl with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, rosemary and some salt and pepper. 

Halve, stone and slice the apricots into half-moons. Spoon half the stracciatella onto each plate, followed by the courgettes.

Finish with the apricots, dribble a tablespoon of the almond dressing over each portion and serve at once. 

Top Tip

Make your own stracciatella.

If you can’t source stracciatella, buy the best mozzarella (225g) you can find. Chop gently, cover with 175-225ml of cream, taste and add a pinch of flaky sea salt if necessary. Allow to macerate and soak up the cream for a few hours or overnight. Serve as required.

Just enjoyed our annual Irish Food Writers Guild voyage of discovery to Northern Ireland.
This year, we explored Armagh, the Orchard County, home of the Bramley seedling Apple and ecclesiastical capital of Ireland, how about that!
We drove past acres and acres of both old and new trees, laden with apples almost ready for harvest. Needless to say there are many entrepreneurial businesses, making a myriad of products from the famous cooking apple and the pollinators scattered through the orchards, but there is also a bourgeoning artisan food sector.
Burren Balsamics, was a surprising find. You’d expect it to be in County Clare but there are several other Burrens around the country. Here the charismatic Hamilton-Stubber family and their super innovative team make a wide variety of small batch balsamic vinegars from a base of white balsamic, flavoured with local blackberries, wild garlic…
They also make little pearls of balsamic vinegar, tiny flavour bombs of Blackberry and Thyme, that burst deliciously in the mouth.
During our short sojourn in Co Armagh, we visited two cider makers, both were on family farms. At AgniIig, James Mackle, a student with an impressive list of degrees has been experimenting with small batches of iced cider aged in virgin chestnut casks and is fastidious in his quest for the perfect result. Armagh iced cider, a premium product is indeed worth seeking out. Watch this space….
Another warm welcome to Long Meadow Cider Farm from the McKeever family in Portadown, one of the leading food tourism experiences in County Antrim.
This is a sixth generation family farm who supply virtually the whole of Northern Ireland with their famous apple juice, still and sparkling cider and apple cider vinegar with its many medicinal attributes.
They continue to experiment and have  recently introduced with great success, some flavoured ciders, including rhubarb and honey, Berry Blast and their latest, a  Mango Cider for which they can scarce keep up with the demand….
Longmeadow Farm also offer a tempting variety of tours and experiences for groups..
Another highlight was a visit to the Armagh Robinson library established in 1771, home to a remarkable collection of books, manuscripts and archives including a first edition of Johnathan Swifts’s, Gulliver‘s Travels and a special viewing of 18 century cookery related works. I could’ve stayed there all day long, it was truly fascinating.
Of course, we had many memorable meals, our first taste of Armagh was our lunch cooked over fire by Rory and his Mum, Fiona at On The Hoof located at Annareagh Road.
The deputy Lord Mayor, Lavelle McIlwrath added to Fiona‘s warm welcome. Such fun to see a copy of my Forgotten Skills Book on the shelf almost in ‘flitters’ from constant use.
Many delicious dishes including Beetroot Tzatziki, sprinkled with Marigold petals and a Summer berry Pavlova to die for!
Our last meal before we left was at Dante‘s Deli at the Palace. Among the memorable tastes of Armagh, we particularly loved the Ham Bon Bons. Thank you to Daniel Gallagher for sharing the recipe with our Examiner readers.
Loved the eclectic mix of food and culture chosen for us to experience by Tourism NI. Guess what, we were also introduced to road bowling by a couple of members of the Antrim team.  Road Bowling is one of Ireland’s most distinctive, traditional sports.
Such fun but don’t think I’ll make the A-Team, think I’ll stick to the pots and pans!
We also had dinner at FE McWilliams Gallery And studio, hosted by Quails at the Gallery, an award-winning restaurant located within the venue, a delicious celebration of local ingredients, artisan producers and Armagh ciders, many flavours of Northern Ireland Food Heartland. Need to put this venue on your list too when you plan your visit. Lots of places to stay, but we were very comfortable, warmly looked after and enjoyed a special breakfast at the Armagh City Hotel.
A whistle stop tour but one that left me yearning to return to the beautiful Orchard County of Armagh.

Ham Bon Bons

Thanks to Daniel of Dante’s Deli Armagh for sharing this crunchy, irresistible and very moreish recipe

Makes (approx. 40)

 Ingredients 

1.5kg Pork Knuckle 

1 Star Anise 

2 Bay Leaves 

2 Sliced White Onions 

1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns 

100g Brown Sugar 

100g Sweet Paprika 

50g Salt 

1 Teaspoon whole grain mustard 

1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Powder 

100g chopped gherkins

500ml Apple Juice (Long Meadow Farm) 

Bread Crumb Coating

4 Tablespoons White Flour (plain or gluten free) 

1 Beaten Egg 

100ml Whole Milk 

150g Panko Breadcrumbs 

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

Method 

Mix all dry ingredients to make a rub. 

Coat the pork in mustard

Cover in dry rub 

Add chopped onions, cider and pork to an oven proof dish. 

Cover and cook at 160°C (320°F) for 6 hours 

Allow the pork to cool.

Shred, weigh out 60-80g of pork mix, taste for seasoning and  roll into walnut size balls.

Coat the bon bons in flour, dip in egg wash and coat in breadcrumbs.  

Keep in the fridge or immediately deep fry until golden brown and piping hot through. Serve with a chosen relish or chutney.

Beetroot Tzatziki

Thank you to On The Hoof for sharing this recipe.

To start..

Source a selection of beetroot, we love all the colours pink , amber , white and red striped.

Fiona steams them to cook them through , but they roast or boil beautifully too. They are cooked when the peel will rub off easily.

Drain, allow to get cold, peel and dice.

Tzatziki

De-seed, two cucumbers, grate them into a colander squeezing out the juice, set aside.

Mix the drained cucumber into 450 g (500ml) thick Greek yogurt, add the juice of one small lemon. Add salt to taste and a little good olive or rapeseed oil to loosen.

Add some finely chopped mint and dill.

Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.

To finish, spread the Tzatziki over the base of a wide serving dish, decorate with the beetroot dice, top with some fresh mint and dill leaves.

Traditional Potato Apple Bread from Long Meadow Farm

A much loved and traditional Armagh recipe

Recipe makes 2

Ingredients

175g self-raising flour

420g cold mashed potatoes

1 medium sized Bramley apple (peeled and thinly sliced)

Method:

Add flour into a mixing bowl. Gradually add in the cold cooked mashed potatoes.

Stir ingredients together to make a dough (I like to use my hands as its easier to mix both together).

If you find the mixture is too sticky add more flour.

Turn mixture out onto a floured board and knead gently into a ball shape. Divide into two pieces.

Dust a rolling pin with flour, using one piece of the mixture, roll into a circular shape about ½ inch thick.

Mark a thin slight line down the middle.

Arrange the sliced Bramley Apple to one side of the circle of dough to form a couple of layers (1 medium sized apples should be enough for both servings).

Fold the other side of the mixture over the apples and seal the edges with your fingertips and cut off any excess dough.

The apples should now be enclosed within the dough like an apple turnover.

Repeat with the other half of the mixture. Heat a griddle until hot, dust with flour.

Lay the potato apple bread onto the griddle for 2 – 3 minutes. Turn the griddle down to medium/hot.

Turn over onto the other side. The potato apple bread should have now formed a light brown skin.

Continue turning the bread every few minutes (you should be able to hear the cooked apples bubbling). By continually turning the potato apple bread it remains soft and prevents it becoming scored and burnt.
Take off the griddle, slice open, add lots of butter and sugar to taste.

Courgettes or zucchini – Call them whatever you fancy but WoW, have I got a glut! Problem is everyone else has too. It’s really difficult to imagine when you plant a tiny plant just how many beautiful courgettes and yellow blossoms you’ll have. Either a feast or a famine! There’s no excuse for me, every year I warn home gardeners not to plant more than 2 or 3 plants, even though it seems very few, once they get going in mid-summer, it’s difficult to keep up, it’s extraordinary how fast they grow. It’s the plant that keeps on giving! But unfortunately, there are only so many meals in the week, delicious as they are, I’m not sure I want to eat them for breakfast also! We’ve got three different varieties to compare flavour. Green: Dunga Yellow: Yellow Fin Striped: Cocozelle – my favourite. Size matters when you are harvesting. At about 15-17cm long and 2.5-5cm thick, they are crisp and nutty, a revelation to those who have only tasted the watery commercial version. Even if there are more than you need, keep up with the harvesting, search under the spreading leaves, it’s easy to miss one or two and they’ll grow into watery marrows at speed if not picked. The larger ones have less flavour but of course have their uses too. Grate them to make a delicious zucchini bread, zucchini fritters are addictive, as are little deep-fried batons to dip in an Aioli or Harissa Mayo. So, instead of moaning, let’s look on a glut as a bonus. It’s definitely an opportunity for creative cooks to rustle up lots of exciting dishes and/or you could always set up an Honesty Box at the gate and sell a few, to raise money for a local charity. I adore crisp zucchini blossoms, the female flower has the zucchini attached, the male flower with its long stalk is perfect for stuffing. Could be a simple bit of melty mozzarella with a fresh basil leaf, maybe a scrap of salty anchovy. Dip it in a light batter and fry until crisp in a light olive oil or tallow. Even simpler, peel some paper thin shaving of unpeeled zucchini (use a swivel top peeler). Scatter onto a chilled plate, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, a few shavings of Pecorino and crisp deep-fried capers – an enchanting combination. Love a zucchini and basil omelette or frittata too. Zucchini or courgettes barbecue brilliantly too and are of course an essential ingredient in Ratatouille, Caponata or Roast Summer Vegetables. They don’t freeze well so enjoy while you can. Here are three recipes for you to enjoy.

Rachel’s Zucchini and Walnut Bread

We’ve got several recipes for zucchini (courgette) bread but this version, originally given to us by an American friend is my favourite.

First published in Rachel Allen’s cookbook, Bake. It’s moist and delicious!

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

400g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

75g walnuts, chopped plus extra for scattering on top of the bread

½ tsp salt, plus a pinch

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 

¼ tsp ground cloves

300g caster sugar

100g Demerara sugar

3 eggs

200ml sunflower oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

380g zucchini grated (skin left on)

Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2. 

Line two 13cm x 20cm (450g) loaf tins with parchment paper.

Method

Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl, then mix in the chopped walnuts, salt and spices. Add the caster and Demerara sugar and stir well to mix. 

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the oil and vanilla extract. Add the grated zucchini and mix well until combined, then pour this into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Divide the mixture between the two prepared loaf tins. Scatter more chopped walnuts over the top of each loaf.

Bake in the oven for 1 – 1 ¼ hours, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve on its own or toasted and buttered.

Tightly wrapped in parchment paper, this bread keeps well for up to 10 days.

Pickled Zucchini

A brilliantly simple pickle to make when zucchini are plentiful. Delicious served with a selection of salads or as an accompaniment.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

1kg thinly sliced unpeeled zucchini (12.5cm in length)

3 small onions thinly sliced

175g sugar

1 tablespoon salt

225ml apple cider vinegar

Method

Combine the zucchini and onion sliced in a large bowl. 

Mix the sugar, salt and vinegar together and pour over the zucchini. 

Place in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator and leave for at least 1-2 hours or overnight before using. 

Best eaten on the day but keeps for weeks in the fridge.

Zucchini Chutney

Another terrific way to use up a glut. Gift to friends…

Serve as an accompaniment to grilled meats, fish or poultry. 

Ingredients

2 lemons

3 medium sized zucchini, peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces

2 medium onions thinly sliced

175ml dry white wine

2 tsp sugar

24 whole black peppercorns coarsely crushed

1 walnut sized piece of fresh ginger chopped until it becomes like a paste

salt to taste

Method

Cut all the peel and white pith from the lemon and discard.  Cut the lemons into thin slices and remove as many of the seeds as possible. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cover and cook over a medium heat for 1 hour.  Check the mixture occasionally to ensure it does not burn. The chutney should have the consistency of marmalade. 

The chutney may be served warm or cold.

Do you remember what pork used to taste like, sweet and juicy and delicious, or does that description even resonate?
I always loved a nice thick pork chop, on the bone, with the rind still on, a nice covering of juicy fat and a little chunk of kidney underneath.
The last time I had one, about 25 years ago, I bought a centre loin pork chop home from Cork, glowing with anticipation… I seasoned it well and cooked it off on a good hot grill pan. Now, I can cook a pork chop as well as most, but when I tasted it, it was not sweet and juicy as I had anticipated but dry and virtually tasteless. If I’d been blindfolded, I wouldn’t have had the least idea what I was eating, so I resolved there and then to source a couple of heirloom pigs and rear them myself.
I brought my first two pigs from a nice man I met while hillwalking on the Knockmealdown mountains. We shook hands on the deal as we crossed a ford in the river and named it the Ford of the Black Pig!
He delivered my two heirloom pigs a few days later. They lived a happy life, ranging freely in the meadow, foraging and eating scraps from the kitchen and garden and windfall apples from the orchard.
We celebrated their lives on our plates, made sausages, salami, cured some bacon and a couple of hams and enjoyed pork chops and roast pork with crunchy crackling just as I had remembered. I’ve continued to rear a few pigs ever since, traditional breeds. Hardy animals bred to live outdoors in their natural environment. Their tails aren’t docked nor are their teeth cracked to avoid them from biting each other out of boredom and frustration in cramped conditions.
Pigs are really friendly and intelligent creatures. I am not a vegetarian, rather, I’m an omnivore but I am not prepared to knowingly eat pork or chicken or any animal, bird or fish that has suffered to provide my food.
Having said all that, there’s no question, but it is difficult nowadays to find free-range organic pork.  Fortunately, there are an increasing number of small producers around the country rearing a few pigs and doing meat boxes and selling direct to the public. To mention a few:
Lúnasa Farm, Clarecastle, Co. Clare –www.lunasafarm.ie
Crawford’s Farm, Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary – www.crawfordsfarm.ie
Newbard Farm just outside Lismore, Co. Waterford – www.newbardfarm.com Wicklow Organic (Kilmacoo Hill Farm) – www.wickloworganic.com Regans Organic Farm, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, pork and also beautiful free range organic chickens.
Seek out Noreen and Martin Conroy of Woodside Farm at Midleton and Mahon Point Farmers’ Markets, they are known for their chemical-free pork – www.woodsidefarm.ie
Google, there are also a number of organic processors – do your homework carefully. Free-range organic will of necessity be more expensive, the feed is GM-free and almost double the price of conventional feed. It takes a lot longer for the pigs to fatten.
Enjoy the delicious juicy fat, remember the Good Lord didn’t put fat on meat to annoy us. It enables us to extract all the nutrients from the remainder of our food – a basic but much misunderstood fact of nutrition. Here are some of my favourite pork recipes for you to enjoy.

Pork with Gentle Spices

A gently spiced dish, quick and easy to make – careful not to overcook, also delicious made with chicken.

*This recipe is also delicious with the addition of sautéed mushrooms.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 organic or chemical-free pork fillets

1-2 tsp whole cardamom pods

1 tsp whole coriander seeds

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

25g butter

110g onions, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

150ml homemade chicken stock

150ml cream

Garnish

flat parsley or coriander

Method

Press the cardamom pods and extract the seeds, grind to fine powder with the coriander and cumin seeds in a pestle and mortar or in a spice grinder.

Melt the butter in a sauté pan, add the onion and sweat over a gentle heat until soft. Trim the pork fillets of all fat and membrane. Cut into 2cm slices or cubes, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, toss the fillets in the ground spices. Add to the onion and sauté gently for a few minutes. Cover the pan tightly and cook in a preheated oven 150°C/Gas Mark 2 for 15-20 minutes or until the pork pieces are cooked but still nice and juicy. (It may not be necessary to put the pork in the oven if using fillet).

Remove the pork to a serving dish and keep warm. Put the casserole back onto the heat, add the stock and cream and reduce by half. Taste and adjust seasoning, add the pork pieces back into the sauce (add sautéed mushroom if including), allow to bubble for a minute or two. * Serve on a hot serving dish garnished with flat parsley or coriander.   

* May be prepared ahead to this point. Reheat in a saucepan over a gentle heat. 

Serve with Orzo (orzo looks like fat grains of rice but is in fact made from semolina. It is sometimes sold under the name of ‘Misko’. 

Roast Pork with Crackling and Spiced Aubergines in the Pickling Style

We’ve got lots of aubergines at present, so I’ve been enjoying this delicious combination.

Serves 6-8

1 x 2.25kg loin of organic free-range pork with the skin (rind) intact.  (You will most certainly need to order the joint ahead to ensure that the rind is still on: no rind – no crackling!)

2 tbsp chopped herbs (parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram, savoury, perhaps very little sage or rosemary) (optional)

salt and freshly ground pepper

To Serve

Spiced Aubergines (see recipe)

Maldon sea salt

rocket leaves

apple sauce

Day before, brine the pork (see recipe at end) *.

Score the skin at 5mm intervals running with the grain – let your butcher do this if possible because the skin, particularly of free-range pork can be quite tough. Carefully pour boiling water over the scored pork and immediately drain off. This is to give you really good crackling and make it easier to carve later.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Sprinkle some salt over the rind and roast the joint on a wire rack in a roasting tin.  Allow 30-35 minutes per 450g. Baste with the rendered pork fat every now and then.  Alternatively put the pork skin side down on a chopping board season with salt and black pepper, sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs if using.  One can roll up tightly and tie with cotton string if desired, but I prefer to roast as it is. 

*Meanwhile, cook the Spiced Aubergines, see recipe.

Just before the end of cooking time remove the pork to another roasting tin.  Return to the oven and increase the temperature to 230°C/Gas Mark 8, to further crisp the crackling. When the joint is cooked, the juices should run clear.  Put the pork onto a hot carving dish and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes in a low oven before carving.  Serve two slices of pork per person with some Spiced Aubergine, apple sauce and garnish with rocket.   Sprinkle a few grains of Maldon sea salt over the pork.

Rustic roast potatoes and a good green salad would also be great.  

  * Note: We brine the pork ahead for extra flavour (see below). 

Basic Brine

Brining greatly enhances the flavour of pork, chicken, duck. We brine whole turkeys (48 hours), loin of pork, chickens, and ducks (12-18 hours), chicken breast (30-40 minutes depending on size).

Soak the joint or bird in a brine mixture of salt and water.  The electrically charged ions of the salt plump up the muscle fibres, allowing them to absorb water. This changes the structure of the proteins, preventing the water from escaping during cooking. In addition to keeping the meat moist, the salt intensifies flavour.

To make a basic brine, mix together 30g salt to 1 litre of water in a suitable size container with a cover (stainless steel, plastic or enamel are ideal). A little sugar may be added to the brine, even a few spices. Stir the salt with a wooden spoon or clean hand in cold tap water to dissolve completely.  Add the bird or joint (it should be submerged in the water), cover and chill in a refrigerator or keep in a cool place and brine for chosen time.

Spiced Aubergines in the Pickling Style

The spiced aubergine mixture is also good served cold or at room temperature as an accompaniment to hot or cold lamb or pork.  Serve some apple sauce on the side.

Serves 6

Ingredients

500g aubergines

250ml approximate extra virgin olive oil

2.5cm cube of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 large cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely crushed

50ml water

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp whole fennel seeds

2 tsp whole cumin seeds

350g very ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped or 1 x 400g tin tomatoes + 1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp freshly ground coriander seeds

¼ tsp ground turmeric

⅓ tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like)

sea salt

25-50g raisins

Method

Cut the aubergine into 2cm thick slices.  Heat 175ml of oil in a deep 25-30cm frying pan.  When hot, almost smoking, add a few aubergine slices and cook until golden and tender on both sides.  Remove and drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet.  Repeat with the remainder of the aubergines, adding more oil if necessary.  Alternatively brush generously with extra virgin olive oil and cook on a hot pan-grill.

Put the ginger, garlic and water into a blender.  Blend until fairly smooth. 

Heat 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the frying pan.  When hot, add the fennel and cumin seeds, (careful not to let them burn).  Stir for just a few seconds then put in the chopped tomato, the ginger-garlic mixture, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the spice mixture thickens slightly, 5-6 minutes.

Add the fried aubergine slices and raisins and coat gently with the spicy sauce.  Cover the pan, turn the heat to very low and cook for another 3-4 minutes.  Serve warm.

Variation

Add the florets of 1 cooked cauliflower to the above cooked mixture for a delicious spiced Indian cauliflower dish.

Asian Pork Lettuce Cups

An exciting and super delicious way to eat pork mince.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower oil

250g pork mince (belly is good)

2 large garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped

1 dsp fish sauce (nam pla)

1 dsp soy sauce

1 tbsp palm or soft brown sugar

5 spring onions, finely sliced at an angle

a small handful of coriander, roughly torn

12 fresh mint leaves, roughly torn

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

To Serve

12 leaves of iceberg or baby gem lettuces, separated into leaves

Thai sweet chilli sauce

Method

Heat the sunflower oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat, add the mince and fry for 2-3 minutes or until the pork is tender, breaking the mince up with a spoon to ensure even cooking.

Push the mince to the side of the pan.  Add the garlic and chilli and fry for a further minute.  Add the fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar, stir and fry for another minute until just cooked.

Finally, add half the spring onions, coriander, mint and the lime juice and fry for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of the aromatic pork into each lettuce leaf.  Top with a drizzle of Thai sweet chilli sauce.  Add a sprinkling with the remaining spring onions, coriander and mint.