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.

Just now the credit card receipts are beginning to come in thick and fast toremind us of the retail therapy we indulged in with such gay abandon aroundChristmas.  We can feel virtuous in the fact that we’ve done our bit for the
Irish economy, but its time to tighten our belts in every sense of the word.There are of course all sorts of savings that can be made in household itemsand little luxuries that one can live without for the moment.   No matterwhat savings one makes its vital to keep the food on the table, as our wiseold GP Dr Derry McCarthy was fond of saying, “if you don’t put the petrol in
the tank the car won’t go” – unquestionably true – if we scrimp onnutritious food we’ll end up paying more to the chemist and the doctor – andif the latest surveys are to be believed, they can scarcely cope with theirworkload at present.
So what we need to do is put lots of time and energy into sourcing as muchtop quality fresh locally produced food in season as possible.   This willcut your food bills in half and provide you with live food bursting withvitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Nowadays, when so much shopping is done in supermarkets, its difficultparticularly for younger people, to work out what’s in season when so muchis available from January to December, and there are so few clues toindicate when something is in season.  I long for at least one chain ofsupermarkets to celebrate the seasons and highlight local produce in theirshops – this would be a tremendous help to concerned consumers and wouldgive a much-needed boost to local farmers and food producers.So what’s in season at present?  All the root vegetables are fantastic justnow, parsnips, carrots, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, swede turnips.  Thelatter are now sweet and nutty, having had several nights of frost whichconcentrates the natural fructose.   Brussels sprouts are still in seasonfor another few weeks and there’s lots of yummy crunchy Savoy cabbage to
cook on its own, or to add to a big bowl of mashed Golden Wonder potatoes,to make a bowl of comforting, delicious and inexpensive colcannon.Look out for kale also and my favourite sprouting broccoli, green, purple orwhite – I adore all those greens, in Winter my body seems to crave thoseclean fresh flavours.  Somehow I’m convinced that its what we need to
supplement our iron, vitamins and minerals at this time of the year.  Kale,by the way is the most nutritious of all the brassicas, a family renownedfor its vitamin A, B & C content, it is a good source of iron and of allvegetables it is one of the richest sources of calcium, in a form which caneasily be absorbed by the body.Leeks, a good source of potassium and folate, are also excellent at presentand we’ve been enjoying and feasting on the first of the herrings and spratsfilled with minerals, calcium and valuable Omega 3 fatty acids, for the pastfew weeks.  If you’re someone who reckons they haven’t eaten at all unlessyou’ve had meat, then in lean times take the opportunity to experiment withthe many inexpensive cuts of meat that are succulent.   Next time you go toyour local butcher or market, seek out pork spare ribs, bacon ribs, chickenwings, lamb shanks, shin of beef.  All inexpensive, succulent and delicious,cooked in a myriad of ways – here are a few suggestions to get you started!

Pangrilled Herrings with Grainy Mustard Butter

Serves 6 as a starter

6 fresh herrings, gutted, scaled and washed
Seasoned flour
Grainy Mustard Butter
1 teaspoon grainy mustard eg. Moutarde de Meaux
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
3 ozs (85g) melted butter
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Leek and Cheddar Cheese Tart
Serves 10-12
½ lb (225g) shortcrust pastry
1 lb (450g) white part of leeks
2 ozs (55g) butter
4 ozs (110g) white Cheddar cheese
or
2 ozs (55g) grated cheese and
2 ozs (55g) cooked ham, chopped1 tablesp. finely chopped parsley
8 fl ozs (225ml) cream or rich milk
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
2 x 7 inch (18cm) flan rings

Clean the leeks and cut into 3 inch (2cm) slices. Melt the butter in a heavybottomed saucepan. Add the leeks, season and stir well to coat. Add 1-2tablespoons of water. Cover with a butter wrapper and a tight fitting lid.Reduce the heat and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until soft andthe water has been absorbed. Do not let the leeks colour.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4.

Roll out the pastry to about 3 inch (2cm) thick and line two 7 inch (18cm)flan rings. Line the pastry shell with a kitchen paper and fill up to thetop with dried beans. Bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the peas and kitchen paper and keep the flan aside.Stir the cheese or cheese and ham with the parsley into the leek mixture.Whisk the eggs with the cream and stir this in also. Check seasoning. Pour this mixture into the flan ring and put it back into the oven for 30-40 minutes or until just set. Serve with a green salad.
Curly Kale
Serves 4 approx.
450g (1lb) Curly kale, destalked (290g /10oz approx.) without stalks)
6 pints  (3.4 L) water
3 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper and a little grated nutmeg
55g (2oz) butter
125ml (4fl oz) cream
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, (6 pints (3.4L) to 3 teaspoons salt). Add the curly kale and boil uncovered on a high heat until

Deh-Ta-Hsiung Pork Spareribs

Deh-ta Hsiung who was our guest chef here at the school some years ago gaveme this delicious recipe for cooking spare ribs.  Ideally, chop each individual rib into 2 or 3 bite-size pieces before cooking, which is less messy than chopping them after they are cooked.

1kg (2lbs) pork spareribs

Trim off excess fat and any gristle from the ribs and cut each rib into 2 or 3 small pieces.  Marinate with the rest of the ingredients for at least 2-3 hours if possible, turning occasionally.Barbecue under a hot grill for 15-20 minutes, turning and basting frequently
with the marinade.  Alternatively, roast the ribs in a baking dish in a preheated hot oven (230C/450F/Gas 8 for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200C/400F/Gas 6 for 25-30 minutes more, turning once or twice.  Serve hot or cold on a bed of lettuce leaves with the sauce poured over them. Careful not to overcook or the meat will be dry and tough, instead of tender and succulent.

Swede Turnip and Bacon Soup 

Serves 6-8

12 ozs (340g) swede turnips, diced
1 tablesp. sunflower or arachide oil
5 ozs (140g) rindless streaky bacon cut in ½ inch (1cm) dice
4 ozs (110g) onions, chopped
5 ozs (140g) potatoes, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1½ pints (900ml) homemade chicken stock
Cream or creamy milk to taste

Garnish

Fried diced bacon
Tiny croutons
Chopped parsley
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the bacon and cook on a gentle heat until crisp and golden. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Toss the onion, potato and turnip in the bacon fat, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover with a butter wrapper to keep in the steam, and sweat on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured, about 10 minutes. Add the stock,
bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are fully cooked. Liquidise, taste, add a little cream or creamy milk and some extra seasoning if necessary.  Serve with a mixture of crispy bacon, tiny croutons and chopped parsley sprinkled on top.

The sheer joy of that first sip of coffee in the morning – for me, like many others, the day is punctuated by coffee, from the morning’s first café au lait in a comforting Shanagarry Pottery mug, to a frothy cappuccino dusted with chocolate mid-morning, to the rich dark expresso enjoyed with a truffle after dinner.
Good coffee is one of life’s exquisite pleasures and often when I enjoy a really good cup and smell the roasted beans, my mind drifts off uneasily to the coffee farmers of Mexico, Costa Rica and Vietnam.
Coffee grows in two narrow areas around the world in tropical and sub-tropical lands.
Even though I pay 18 Euros a kilo for my freshly roasted beans, the reality is that the global coffee market has collapsed. As ever it’s a case of over-production with new growers flooding the market. The official price per pound of coffee has crashed from a high of $6 in 1977 to a 100 year low of 42 cents last year.
For many of the world’s 25 million coffee growers, the future is bleak. In the recent past half a million have abandoned their farms in Latin America alone, unable to make enough money to stay alive. Both in Mexico and in Costa Rica, there have been mass protests, where millions of tons of beans have been burned or crushed for fertiliser in an effort to highlight the plight of coffee growers.

For years, the International Coffee Organization, founded in 1962, and made up of 60 nations had the power to set production quotas, but after the fall of Communism the US left the ICO, which then effectively lost its clout to enforce quotas and eventually stopped trying. The global coffee supply is now over-running demand by about 1.2 billion pounds, despite a sharp increase in global consumption. 
From its initial discovery in Abyssinia in the 6th Century AD, coffee has become a million dollar business. Of the more than 50 known varieties just two make up the majority of the world’s production, Arabica indigenous to Ethiopia, and Robusta discovered in the Congo.


Arabica is the most sought after and highly prized by coffee connoisseurs. This bean accounts for 70% of the world’s production. It is grown at approx. 1,000 – 2,000 metres above sea level, but the higher the altitude the better the quality. Beans grown at 1,500 metres can be labelled as Supreme, AA or Estate. Interestingly, top quality Arabica beans contain about half the caffeine level of the lower quality Robusta beans.
The latter makes up about 25% of the world’s output and is found in the highest quality expresso blends as it helps in the development of the ‘crema’ on top of the expresso.
The four top companies that dominate international coffee purchases, Proctor and Gamble, Sara Lee, Kraft and Nestlé, have all devised ways to improve the taste of blends ground from robusta beans even when the beans are poor quality.

 
Flavoured coffees have also become increasingly popular and flavours like vanilla and hazelnut help to mask the sometimes gritty taste of robusta, consequently the big players have been buying more cheap robusta beans from big growers, particularly Vietnam and less of the superior arabica from the traditional growers in Latin America.
The situation is becoming increasingly desperate, but recently Nestor Osorio, a hugely committed Colombian diplomat, has become executive director of the ICO and launched a clever new campaign to control production, targeting falling quality, rather than price – alas it is difficult to get the despairing coffee growers to agree on anything.
However, as the US and other nations are becoming increasingly aware, this whole issue will have far wider implications, it is not just about a cup of coffee. It has produced furious protests all over the globe by desperate and increasingly militant coffee farmers. At recent ICO meetings Mexican officials have noted that the map of rebel activity in Mexico roughly traces coffee growing regions. Colombia is warning that coffee farmers are increasingly turning to coca to in a frantic bid to make a livelihood to feed themselves and their families. The crisis has at last got the attention of the US Congress which recently passed a resolution to study the coffee crisis and to consider membership of the ICO, so we can but hope.
Meanwhile, what can we do at home in our own kitchens. Well, the best solution is to seek out Fair Trade Coffee.
Bewleys sell fair trade coffee under the name of Bewleys Direct and it’s available through most supermarket chains and through Bewleys Cafes.


Cafedirect another fairtrade coffee is available through Superquinn, Health Food Shops, Oxfam Shops and Trocaire Shops – if your local supermarket doesn’t stock Fairtrade Mark products, just ask the manager, the Fair Trade organisation even have a letter on their website (see address below) which you can send to your local store manager.
All the main coffee roasters in Ireland also have a Fairtrade Mark coffee for the catering market so its easy to change to fairtrade – encourage your restaurant or canteen in your workplace to use it – it makes a difference – Bewleys direct, Cafédirect, Johnsons Costa Rica Fairtrade Blend, Percol Fairtrade, Robert Roberts Fairtrade, Tiki Caffee and the Viking Direct catalogue – contact details are available on the website www.fair-mark.org/products 0r tel 01-475 3515. Email:info@fair-mark.org 
 
For 350 producer groups representing some four and a half million producers and their families in 36 countries selling to the Fairtrade market across 17 countries in Europe and North America, Fairtrade means – guaranteed better prices, decent working conditions, fair wages and the security of long term trading relationships.

Chocolate and Coffee Mousse

Merrilees Parker gave me this yummy recipe.

Serves 4

5½oz (150g) good quality dark chocolate
3 tbsp expresso strength coffee
3½ oz (100g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into small cubes
3 free-range eggs, separated
2 tbsp caster sugar

Melt the chocolate with the coffee in a bowl, over a pan of gently simmering water.
Add the butter, a piece at a time stirring continuously until completely melted.
The bowl should be warm so the butter softens but does not split and turn to oil.
It should become the consistency of thick cream. Add the egg yolks, one by one, beating them until the mixture is very smooth.
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then add the sugar and beat to glossy soft peaks. Carefully fold into the chocolate mixture to retain as much air as possible, making sure no white spots from the egg whites remain.
Spoon into individual glasses and chill for at least 2 hours.
Serve with cream poured into the top of each glass. 

Sue’s Coffee and Pecan Biscuits

This delicious recipe was given me by Sue Cullinane, one of our teachers here at the school, we are always delighted when students or staff share one of their favourite recipes with us and we include it in our repertoire of recipes.

Makes 20

4 oz (110g) butter, softened 
4 oz (110g) muscovado sugar
5 oz (150g) self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon coffee essence
1 ½ oz (35g) pecans, chopped

For the icing
2 oz (50g/ ½ stick) butter
5 oz (150g/1 ¼ cup) icing sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon coffee essence

pecans, toasted

10 x 7 inch (25.5 x 18 cm) swiss roll tin, well greased

Preheated oven 180ºC/ 350ºF/Gas mark 4

Put all the cake ingredients into a magimix or food processor. Whizz for 1-2 minuntes to amalgamate. Spread the cake mixture evenly in the well buttered tin and level the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes approx. The cake should be well risen. Allow to cool in the tin.
Meanwhile mix the ingredients for the icing together. As soon as the cake has cooled, spread the icing evenly over the top using a palette knife. Sprinkle toasted pecans over the top. Cut into squares and serve.

Tira Misu

This dessert originated in Venice and is now very popular not just in Italy. The name means ‘pick me up’, not surprising considering the amount of booze in it. This is our version which always gets rave reviews.

Serves 8

38-40 Boudoir biscuits
8 fl oz (250 ml) strong espresso coffee (if your freshly) made coffee is not strong enough, add 1 teaspoon of instant coffee)
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons Jamaica rum
3 ozs (85g) dark chocolate
3 eggs, separated, preferably free range
4 tablespoons castor sugar
9 ozs (255g) Mascarpone cheese *

Unsweetened Cocoa (Dutch process)

Dish 10 x 8 inches (25.5 x 20.5cm) with low sides or 1lb loaf tin (8 x 4 inches (20.5 x 10cm) lined with cling film

Mix the coffee with the brandy and rum. Roughly grate the chocolate (we do it in the food processor with the pulse button). Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until it reaches the 'ribbon' stage and is light and fluffy, then fold in the Mascarpone a tablespoon at a time.
Whisk the egg whites stiffly and fold gently into the cheese mixture. Now you are ready to assemble the Tira Misu.
Dip each side of the boudoir biscuits one at a time into the coffee mixture and arrange side by side in the dish or tin. Spread half the Mascarpone mixture gently over the biscuits, sprinkle half the grated chocolate over the top, then another layer of soaked biscuits and finally the rest of the Mascarpone. Cover the whole bowl or loaf tin carefully with cling film or better still slide it into a plastic bag and twist the end. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours - I usually make it the day before I use it. 
Just before serving scatter the remainder of the chocolate over the top and dredge with unsweetened cocoa.
Note: Tiramisu will keep for several days in a fridge, but make sure it is covered so that it doesn't pick up 'fridgie' tastes.
*Mascarpone, a delicious rich creamy cheese which originated in Lodi in Lombardy is made by curdling cream with citric acid. It is often used instead of cream with fruit and pastries

A red hot new food trend called ‘minimealism’ is causing a stir in the food world. Chefs are discovering that the coolest food comes in small portions. In the late 90’s on the global food scene sushi became as popular as sandwiches, while mini burgers and sipping champagne through a straw is the Millennium’s ultra hip meal. Tiny lamb, beef, chicken or tuna burgers are now being served in some of the world’s most glamorous restaurants from New York to Sydney. I first came across the beginning of this trend when I went to Tasting Australia in Perth in 2001.
Several of the vibey parties we went to served mini portions of maxi favourites. This kind of food is also all the rage in South Africa, where past student Annabel Ovenstone, now a product developer for Marks and Spencer, explained that currently people like to eat and entertain casually, sharing many different textures, tastes and smells.
Mini food is now a response to lifestyle trends – it spans all eating occasions – simple food that’s low on fuss but high on flavour.
In New York, John De Lucies, executive chef of the Soho Grand Hotel, says his ‘Soho picnic platter’ is the most popular dish on the bar menu ‘its an ode to small food’. It features a trio of baby hot dogs in blankets, a supermodel sized burger on a brioche bun and a tangle of skinny fries. Other mini meals on the menu are tiny baked potatoes topped with crème fraiche and three caviars and mini ravioli stuffed with provolone, salami, and ricotta, served with a spicy dipping sauce.
Mini food encourages people to graze, ideal for people who want lots of different taste sensations, but not too much bulk – perfect for ladies but its surprising how all those mini bits add up.
At ‘First’, one of Sam de Marco’s hip restaurants in Manhattan, the most popular dish is 4 tiny burgers on fluffy little rolls topped with caramelised onions, served with cheese, pickles, tomatoes and crispy fries. Mini food is not just savoury – De Marco also serves a selection of tiny tarts and sandwich petit fours.
So this ‘little food’ trend is getting bigger and bigger. I was astonished to hear that mini food festivals now take place annually in Italy, France, US and Thailand. There’s even a mini food street in Karachi in Afghanistan. Closer to home in London, one of my favourite chefs, Peter Gordon serves a selection of fusion tapas and mezze meals on his menu at Provodore.
In South Africa, mini food is the new buzz word circulating in food circles, hot or cold soups in espresso cups, oysters in shot glasses, mini bruschetta, calamari in tiny bowls. Mini food is served on all the trendiest menus from cocktails to the swishest dinner parties.
Often they are miniature versions of our favourite comfort food and drinks, mini Bloody Marys, mini sausages with wasabi mash, tiny fish and chips served in cones of the Financial Times, (didn’t Lorna Wing do that 10 years ago?). Little crepes, mini Vietnamese spring rolls, tiny fish cakes, spicy meatballs, the list goes on…
Mini food is basically a bite- (or maybe two) sized meal, mostly eaten with the fingers. Mini foodies usually have smallish appetites and biggish budgets, because mini food restaurants don’t necessarily work on value for money! A few ideas to get you in on the ‘minimealism’.

Oyster Shooters

These were all the rage at drinks parties in Oz when I went to Tasting Australia.

Makes 24- 28

600 ml (20 fl oz) mirin
400 ml (14 fl oz) sake
2 tablespoons Japanese rice vinegar
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1½ tablespoons wasabi mustard powder
24-28 shot glasses
24-28 oysters

Put the mirin and sake into a sauté pan, bring to the boil and allow to catch the flambé. When the flames die down, turn off the heat, pour into a pyrex measure and allow to cool. Add the vinegar, soy sauce and whisk in the wasabi powder. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight
Just before serving, open the oysters and put one into each shot glass. Cover with chilled liquid (leave the sediment behind in the measure). Serve immediately. 

Teeny Chicken Burgers with Sweet Chilli Sauce

Makes 12

2-3 chicken breasts, minced (free range and organic) – 12 ozs (350g)
1 teasp. honey
1 tablesp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
â…“ teasp. peeled and grated ginger
1 tablesp. spring onion, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
12 mini hamburger buns

cherry tomatoes
coriander leaves

Accompaniment:
Sweet chilli sauce – available from Asian shops and most supermarkets

Mix the honey with the soy sauce, add the garlic, ginger and spring onion and minced chicken. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Fry off a little piece on a small frying pan. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.
Form the mixture into tiny burgers about 1oz (25g) in weight. Cover and chill until needed. 
To serve: Warm the hamburger buns in the oven. Heat a little oil in a heavy frying pan, cook the burgers until fully cooked through but still juicy.
Meanwhile split the hamburger buns, butter the bases. Put a few coriander leaves and a slice or two of cherry tomato on the bottom of half the buns. Spread a little sweet chilli sauce on the other halves. As soon as the chicken burgers are cooked, pop one on top of the chilli sauce and sandwich the two halves together. Serve extra sweet chilli sauce as an accompaniment.
Delicious warm or cold.

Teeny Yorkshire Puds with Rare Roast Beef and Horseradish Sauce and Rocket Leaves

Makes 28 approx.

4oz (110g) plain flour
2 eggs, preferably free-range
½ pint (300ml) milk
½ oz (15g) butter, melted

Sunflower oil for greasing tins
Horseradish Sauce 
6 -8 ozs (170-225g) Rare Roast Beef or chargrill a thick sirloin steak to medium rare, rest and thinly slice just as needed

Rocket or flat parsley leaves
1 tray of 1¾ inch (4.5cm) bun tins

Sieve the flour into a bowl, make a well in the centre of the flour, drop in the eggs. Using a small whisk or wooden spoon, stir continuously, gradually drawing in flour from the sides, adding the milk in a steady stream at the same time. When all the flour has been incorporated whisk in the remainder of the milk and cool melted butter. Allow to stand for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/regulo8. Heat the patty tins in the oven, grease with sunflower oil and fill a - 2 full with batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until crisp, golden and bubbly. 
Remove from the tins and cool on a wire rack.

To Serve: 
Fill each with a tiny blob of Horseradish Sauce. Top with a thin sliver of rare roast beef. 
Garnish with a sprig of flat parsley or a rocket leaf. Serve soon - best freshly cooked.

Mini Lamb and Mint Yorkshire Puds

Lamb fillet

Apple and Mint Jelly or Mint Chutney

Substitute lamb fillet for beef in the above recipe. Put a little blob of Apple and Mint Jelly or Mint Chutney into each mini Yorkshire pud. Top with a tiny slice of warm lamb fillet and a tiny mint sprig.
Serve warm.

Focaccia

The classic Italian flat bread, great as a nibble before dinner. Often good served with a selection of olives or roasted vegetables as a starter

1 quantity olive dough (see recipe below)
Olive oil and sea salt, 

Roll out your dough, you can either roll it in to one large disc or four smaller discs. The discs need to be about 1cm (½ inch) thick. 
Put on to an oiled baking sheet and make indentations all over the surface with your fingers. Brush liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. 
Allow the Focaccia to rise again. Put in to oven and bake for 5 minutes and then reduce temperature to 200C/400F/regulo 6 and bake for a further 15 - 20 minutes.

Mini Focaccias

Make the dough in the usual way. Allow to rise, knock back. Roll out to thickness of (1cm) ½ inch, allow to rest for 3-4 minutes. Stamp into 2.5cm (1 inch) rounds with a cutter. Alternatively just roll and flatten into tiny rounds. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and stud with a sprig of rosemary.

Bake in a pre-heated oven 180C/360F/regulo 4, for 10 minutes approx. or until golden brown in colour.
Serve warm or cold.

Variations
Focaccia with Rosemary
Another favourite is to sprinkle 2 teaspoons of finely chopped rosemary over the oil and then sprinkle with sea salt and proceed and bake as above.
Focaccia with Sage
Knead 2 teaspoons of finely chopped sage into the piece of dough, then roll out to1cm ½ inch thickness and brush with olive oil. Make indentations all over the surface with your fingertips, sprinkle with sea salt, then proceed as above.
Focaccia with Black Olives
Substitute 1-2 tablespoons of black olives for the sage and proceed as above. Remember to take the stones out of the olives! 1 teaspoon of chopped marjoram or thyme leaves is a delicious addition here also.

Olive Oil Dough

This basic dough is ideal for pizza and focaccia. If you can try to use Italian extra virgin olive oil for a really authentic flavour.
(Makes 8 x 25cm 10inch pizzas)

20g (¾oz) fresh yeast
250ml (8floz) water
50ml (2floz) olive oil
30g (1oz) butter
1 teaspoon salt
15g (½ oz) sugar
450g (1lb) strong white flour

Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/regulo 8
Sponge the yeast in 150ml (5fl oz) of tepid water, leave in a warm place for about five minutes.
In a large wide mixing bowl sieve the flour, salt and sugar. Rub in the butter, make a well in the centre.
Pour in the sponged yeast, olive oil and most of the remaining lukewarm water. Mix to a loose dough adding the remaining liquid or a little extra flour if needed.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, cover and leave to relax for 5 minutes approximately.
Then knead for about 10 minutes or until smooth, springy and elastic, if kneading in a food mixer with a dough hook, 5 minutes is usually long enough.
Put the dough in a large delph bowl. Cover the top tightly with cling film.
When the dough has more than doubled in size, 1½ – 2 hours, knock back and knead again for about 2 to 3 minutes. Leave to relax again for 10 minutes.
On a well-floured work surface roll each ball in to about 25cm (10inch) disc and use as required