CategorySaturday Letter

Alys Fowler dedicated her book The Thrifty Forager “to my mother – thank you for teaching me to eat my weeds” – how cool is that!

It’s a terrific book; Alys’s mum taught her how to forage when she was just a tot, the first thing she distinctly remembers is sucking nectar from clover flowers.

Foraging, or searching for food ‘in the wild’ brings out the latent hunter-gatherer that exists deep in many of our physic. Nowadays it’s as likely to be in towns and cities as in the country side.

Ever since I was a child when I picked watercress from the edge of the stream by the Chapel Meadows, I have always loved foraging, except we didn’t call it that back then. Throughout the year we had little expeditions, to find wild strawberries down the bog lane, bilberry or fraughans on Cullohill mountains around Lunaghsa (the first week of August.) Later there were damsons around the old castle and wild hazelnuts, rowans and elderberries in the hedgerows.

Where others see weeds or nothing at all I can see dinner, not just fruit, berries and nuts. There are all those greens and leaves that feed and nourish and heal.

Early in the year, young hawthorn leaves are known to be excellent for your cardiovascular system. Young nettles have long been incorporated into our diet, their value as a blood cleanser is well known and the knowledge has been passed from generation to generation. Chickweed, sorrel, ground elder, sweet woodruff, bittercress, garlic mustard, oraches, daisy, borage, shepherds purse, ladies smock, mallow, ransomes and on and on.

Fowler writes “It’s true; I’ve been less than truthful to my husband for the last couple of years about where our dinners have come from. I can see his point, it is a little weird to go out and forage when there’s a supermarket at the bottom of our road. But I gain so much pleasure from foraging; every leaf, seed and berry that I pick somehow seems to connect me both to my past and my future. I think about what my mother has taught me about the outdoors. I think of the many women over the millennia that have done this.”

Flowers are also edible – violets, pansies, roses (wild and old varieties are best, avoid heavily sprayed flowers from the florists) daisies, clover, field poppy, dandelion, day lily, mallow, marigolds, nasturtiums and many many more.

Guess what, as local has become the sexiest word in food and not only over here but also in the United States and Australia where local is more valued and evocative than organic, foraging has now become so hip you can’t imagine, if you happen to wander through a park in London on a week-end you’re bound to encounter lots of foragers with bags and baskets eagerly gathering weeds, berries, fruit plants and leaves, depending on the season. And not just in the parks, there are also rich pickings on common areas, railway embankments, playing fields, along the seashore…

Once you start to think foraging you’ll see the bounty of nature in a new light when you go for a walk you’ll see delicious pickings to incorporate into your menu, even more importantly many wild foods are as nature intended and their full compliment of vitamins, minerals and trace elements to supplement what can nowadays be a diet of seriously denatured food.

So if you’d like to join the new movement, arm yourself with a good book – my Forgotten Skills book has an extensive chapter on foraging – but I totally love Alys Fowlers The Thrifty Forager published by Kyle Books and even though I reckon to be an old hand, I have discovered many new finds which I can’t wait to taste.

Birgit’s Stone Soup

Stone soup comes from an old folk story found in many parts of the world about making something out of nothing. Birgit is quite used to me turning up at her house with a handful of this or that and staying long enough for them to be whipped into something nourishing for lunch. Her version of the soup is excellent for instant positive results after foraging, and ideal when coming back cold from a long foraging walk. This is a warming soup that takes just 30 minutes from bag to bowl.

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course

2 medium onions

Garlic (2 cloves or more to taste)

3 big potatoes

2 big handfuls of mixed foraged herbs: stinging nettles, wild garlic, chickweed, lemon balm, sow thistles,

ground elder, bladder campion, three-cornered leeks, herb bennet leaves, sorrel, dandelions, dead nettles, mallows (though these make for a mucilaginous soup if you include too many), fat hen, oraches or borage.

Or just a single green, such as sorrel or stinging nettles

Butter or good frying oil, such as rapeseed oil

Good-quality vegetable stock cube or powder

Good-quality salt (such as Himalayan rock salt or sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bread of your choice, to serve

Chop the onions and garlic finely.

Peel and chop the potatoes into fairly small cubes.

Roughly chop the herbs.

Heat the fat in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions and stir until they start to glaze, then add the garlic and fry until just golden. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to stop them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cover with boiling water, add a little vegetable stock (cube or powder) and cook for a further 7–10 minutes. Add the roughly chopped herbs and cook until just tender (say another 4 minutes) – do not overboil the herbs or they’ll lose their goodness. Season to taste. Serve with chunky bread.

If you prefer a smooth-textured soup, whizz it through a blender. This will also fuse the flavours together, particularly if you’ve used a lot of bitter herbs, and make it more palatable to those who may be a little wary of wild things.

 

 

 

Roast Rack of Spring Lamb with Membrillo

 

 

 

Serves 4-6

 

 

 

Many butchers will prepare a rack of lamb for you.

 

 

 

2 racks of lamb (6 cutlets each)

 

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

 

 

Accompaniment

 

Membrillo (see recipe)

 

 

 

Garnish

 

sprigs of fresh mint

 

 

 

Prepare the racks of lamb as in diagram.

 

 

 

Score the fat. Refrigerate until needed.

 

 

 

Preheat the oven to 220°C\425°F\gas mark 7.

 

 

 

Sprinkle the racks of lamb with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast fat side upwards for 25-30 minutes depending on the age of lamb and degree of doneness required. When cooked, remove lamb to a warm serving dish. Turn off the oven and allow the lamb to rest for 5-10 minutes before carving to allow the juices to re distribute evenly through the meat.

 

 

 

Carve the lamb and serve 2-3 cutlets per person depending on size. Serve with membrillo.

 

 

 

　

 

Alys Fowler’s Membrillo

 

Quinces or flowering quinces, japonica

 

Water

 

1 vanilla pod, split

 

Lemon juice and rind of 1 lemon,

 

cut into strips

 

Granulated sugar

 

Wash the quinces well, as they have a sticky coating that attracts all sorts of dirt, then chop them into quarters and remove all their pips – like many other rose family plants, the seeds contain nitrites that are converted into hydrogen cyanide in your stomach. Too many seeds can be toxic and result in death.

 

Place fruit in a large pan, adding just enough water to cover the fruit. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until tender. This takes 20–30 minutes.

 

Strain the juice overnight to use for jelly (see opposite) and put the remaining pulp through a sieve or mouli, then add the vanilla, lemon juice, rind and sugar (the same weight of sugar as pulp). Return the pan to the heat and bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly so that the sugar melts. Bring this to a rapid boil until it reaches setting point, when the paste will feel thick and scrape clean away from the sides of the pan. This takes between 30–45 minutes. Then take the pan off the heat and pour the paste onto greaseproof paper on baking trays to air-dry. If you have a dehydrator, use it at this stage.

 

The paste should be about 2cm thick. After several days, it should be slightly shiny and sticky to touch, but not moist. Wrap the paste in greaseproof paper and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last many months kept like this.

 

Perrine Puyberthier’s Plum Tarte

 

For the pastry

 

300g (10 ½ oz) flour

 

150g (5oz) butter

 

50g (2oz) caster sugar

 

2 egg yolks

 

1 glass of milk

 

Mix the flour with the butter and sugar until it becomes sandy textured. Add the egg yolks and milk and mix together into a ball. Cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge to stand for 1 hour. After an hour roll out the pastry to fit a 23cm (9in) tart case. Line the pastry with baking powder and baking beans or dried pulses and bake blind at 180ºC/gas mark 4 until it turns pale brown.

 

Let it cool. (obviously get rid of the paper and beans first!)

 

Meanwhile prepare the crème patissiere:

 

500ml (18floz) milk

 

1 vanilla pod

 

100g (3 ½ oz) caster sugar

 

2 egg yolks

 

50g (2oz) cornflour

 

Heat the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla pod. Do not let it boil.

 

In a bowl, mix the sugar with the two yolks until it becomes smooth and shiny.

 

Add the cornflour and stir well.

 

Take the hot milk off the stove and remove the vanilla pod.

 

Put it back on a low heat and add the sugary egg mixture, stirring constantly. It usually takes about 15 minutes for the crème to cook. It should become stiff and come away from the sides of the pan, but it can take a little longer.

 

The plum filling

 

1kg (approx 2lb) plums

 

Wash the plums, halve them and take out the stones. Spread the crème patissiere on the pastry and cover neatly with the plums. You can spread a layer of plum jam between the crème and the plums to add a touch of sweetness. The greatest joy about this tarte was its delicious tartness.

 

Bake the tart at 180ºC/gas mark 4 for 15 to 20 minutes – the plums will become soft and slightly caramelised.

 

Alys Fowler’s Rose Petal Jam

 

250g (9oz) rose petals (that’s roughly a quarter of a standard carrier bag of petals). I mix pink dog rose with a creamy yellow, highly scented rose from my garden.

 

1.1 litres (2 pints) water

 

Juice of 2 lemons

 

450g (1lb) granulated sugar

 

The petals may have a few bugs on them, so gently shake them free of any intruders, place in a bowl, add half the sugar and leave for several hours or overnight. This infuses the rose flavour into the sugar and darkens the petals.

 

In a heavy-based pan, add the water, lemon juice and remaining sugar, then gently heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the rose petals and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rose petals look as if they are melting and have softened – pull a few out and chew if necessary, they should melt in your mouth but have a slight bite. Turn the heat up and bring to a rapid boil for 5 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum that may have risen to the top and allow to cool slightly, stirring gently so that the petals are evenly distributed. Cover and bottle as usual.

 

Alys Fowler’s Rose Petal Vinegar

 

Fill a bottle or jar with rose petals, then add very good-quality white vine vinegar and seal with a cork. If you use deep pink petals, the vinegar will go a lovely colour. Keep out of direct sunlight and the vinegar will be ready after two months.

 

Alys Fowler’s Raspberry Vodka

 

A bottle of vodka

 

As many raspberries as you can pick

 

A tablespoon of sugar (white or light brown so as not to colour the vodka)

 

Drink a little neat vodka so that there is space in the bottle to fill with wild raspberries. Add the sugar, but do not shake, as this will destroy all the raspberries. Instead, keep the bottle on its side or at an angle and turn every few days till the sugar is dissolved. After a couple of months, strain the contents and store in suitable bottles. This is a subtle flavour with none of the chemical taste of commercial raspberry vodkas and needs to be treated accordingly in cocktails. It is particularly good with soda water and lime.

 

Hot Tips

 

A feast of Irish food from artisan producers matched with award winning wines at O’Connell’s in Donnybrook is on Tuesday, 27th September 2011 from 7.00pm.

 

Donal O’Sullivan, Shellfish de la Mer, West Cork. Bill Casey, Organic Smoked Salmon, East Cork. Alan Pierce, Gold River Farm, Co Wicklow, Mary O’Regan, Organic Chicken, Co Wexford, Irish Hereford Prime Society and Gubbeen Chorizo, Salamis and Cheeses will be matched with wines from Bodegas Valdemar

from the Rioja Region in Spain. To book phone 01 2696116 tom@oconnellsdonnybrook.com.

Darina Allen

 

cookery demonstration at The Irish Seed Savers Apple Weekend on Sunday 25^{th September the Apple Weekend starts on Saturday 24th September at 12 noon at Capparoe Scarriff, Co Clare. Park at Scarriff National School and take the free shuttle bus to the Irish Seed Savers site. For more information 061 921866 –}

^{http://irishseedsavers.ie/}

Debbie Shaw (Naturopathic Nutritionist)^{is back on Saturday 1st October 2011 to teach Feel Good Food for Winter – a day course from 9:30am to 5:00pm at Ballymaloe Cookery School – learn how to make really delicious healthy recipes for energy, vitality and optimal health. 021 4646785.}

Shanagarry GIY Group
Monthly Meeting at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Heirloom Potato Event

Lissadell Estate in Co Sligo has the largest private collection of potatoes in Ireland. Dermot Carey and David Langford will give a talk on the collection from the Victoria Walled Garden on Lissadell Estate at Ballymaloe Cookery School. They will show us over 60 distinct varieties they have saved.

Tuesday 27th September, 2011 at 7:00pm
All Welcome – Admission Free
Contact 021 4646785
www.giyireland.com

We had a terrific day last Saturday, the winners of the Slow Food Grandmothers Day Examiner Competition arrived to enjoy their prize – a day at the Ballymaloe Cookery School and Gardens –  six grandchildren, four grannies and a couple of mums.

They had sent in their favourite recipes that Gran or Nana cooked. We had a lovely response and the usual challenge to choose the winners. We did well.

First we had a cookery demonstration where we shared a few simple recipes and examples of deep pan soda bread pizza with tomato, chorizo and bubbly cheese. Then everyone donned their aprons and went into the kitchen where grannies taught their precious little grandchildren how to cook their favourite recipe – passing on the skills from one generation to the other in the time honoured way and nurturing the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren.

Maeve Falvey had chosen her Nana’s beef and carrot pie. Maeve’s beloved Nana has passed away so she came with her mum who explained which cut of beef to buy and how to cut and prepare the vegetables. Her mum reminded her, “don’t forget to season and do it with your fingers and not a spoon”

Then we all gathered around to watch how Maeve and her mum made them, folded and rolled the rough puff pastry to achieve a flaky texture. Maeve covered the pie with pastry, tucked in the edges, brushed it with egg wash and popped it into the oven. Meanwhile Gillian McCarthy from Dungarvan was making a porter cake, a traditional favourite. Her Nan Peg McCarthy showed her first how to line the cake tin, then they creamed the butter and sugar and folded in the fruit and flour carefully before baking in a round tin.

Close by Siofra and Sadhbh Mcelhinney were plumping up the fruit to make theirNan’s favourite Cider Cake. This versatile cake is used for birthdays, christenings, weddings, Easter and Christmas in the McElhinney household. It makes a moist and delicious cake which keeps brilliantly for several weeks in a tin if you can manage to hide it.

Clodagh Tanner’s Granny Noni has a terrific recipe for Biscuit cakes. This little gem makes about 48 discs which she sandwiches together with homemade raspberry jam. Then they made a white glace icing for the top. We rooted out some hundreds and thousands to sprinkle over the icing for the finishing touch.

Megan Lawton came with her mother and made some delicious raspberry jam and mummy’s sweet white scones. Megan won first prize in the local schools Slow Food Grandmother’s Poetry Competition. While the cakes and pies were in the oven, the cooks of all ages made scones and pizza, homemade lemonade and raspberry jam.

Eventually we sat down to enjoy lunch together and what a feast it was. Afterwards we had a walk through the garden, farm and greenhouse and saw the pigs, chickens and the Jerseycows. We tasted tomatoes and cucumbers straight from the vine and marvelled at the flavour. It was a wonderful day and I greatly enjoyed chatting to the spirited grannies and their much loved grandchildren. Look out for Slow Food International Grandmothers Day in April 2012 – www.slowfoodireland.com

 

Nan Peg’s Meat Pie

 

This is so delicious and really easy and filling – a perfect family dish.

Serves 6 – 8

 

10 ozs (275 g) plain flour

6 ozs (175 g) butter

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 pint (500 ml) beef stock

2 lbs (900 g) round steak

Salt and pepper

 

Oven proof dish 12 x 9 inches (30.5cm x 23 cm)

 

Preheat the oven 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6

 

Mix the flour with ¼ tsp of salt and pepper. Cut the butter into cubes and mix into the flour. Don’t over mix just enough so that you can still see the butter cubes. Add 1 mug of water to the flour and butter mix and knead lightly. Wrap pastry in cling film and put into fridge for 15 minutes.

Cut steak into cubes and roll in seasoned flour then put them into the oven proof dish. Put the chopped onions and carrots over the meat. Pour the beef stock over the meat and vegetables, not above the level of the meat. Take out the pastry and then roll in out to fit the dish, then lay it over the meat and have some pastry left over so that you can roll it and put around the side. Put into the preheated oven and after 10 minutes take it out and cover with tin foil, reduce the temperature to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4  and cook for approximately 1 hour. Take the meat pie out of the oven and remove the tin foil, put back into the oven for approximately 10 minutes to brown.

 

 

 

Nana Noni’s Biscuit Cake

 

14½ ozs (410 g) plain flour

1½ oz (35 g) corn flour

8 ozs (225 g) butter

1 egg, preferably free range

3 ozs (75 g) castor sugar

3 tablespoons milk

 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4.

Put the castor sugar, butter, flour and cornflour into a bowl and crumb them together. Add the egg and milk. Roll out and cut into shapes.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. When cool sandwich together with raspberry jam, ice the top and cover with sprinkles

 

 

Nana Peg McCarthy’s Porter Cake

 

1 lb 8 ozs (675 g) flour

1 tsp bread soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cake spice

8 ozs (225 g) butter

8 ozs (225 g) brown sugar

1 lb (450 g) fruit – raisins, sultanas, mixed peel and cherries

3 eggs, preferably free range

1 small bottle stout

 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4.

 

9in x 3in round tin

 

Sieve the flour, bread soda and spices together. Rub in the butter and add the brown sugar and fruit, some cherries and mixed peel as desired. Mix the eggs together with the stout; you may not need all the stout so keep some back. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mix together well and put into the tin. Bake for about 1 ½ hours or hours in the oven or until a skewer comes out clean, cool in the tin. Nanny’s porter cake is always served with plenty of butter.

 

 

Granny McElhinney’s Cider Cake

 

1½ lbs (900 g) mixed dried fruit

1 heaped tsp mixed spice

500 ml(18 fl ozs) cider

Finely grated rind of 1 orange

1 rounded tsp baking powder

8 ozs (225 g) soft brown sugar

4 ozs (100 g) cherries, halved

4 ozs (100 g) mixed peel

4 eggs, preferably free range

8 ozs (225 g) butter

1 lb (450 g) plain flour

Pinch salt

 

9in x 2.5in pop-up tin

 

Put the dried fruit in a saucepan and cover with the cider. Over a gentle heat, bring slowly to just below boiling point and leave for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (to allow the fruit to absorb the cider). Remove from the heat, then leave to cool or leave overnight.

 

Preheat the oven 160ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3. Grease and line a 9 inch (23 cm) round or 8 inch (20.5 cm) square deep tin.

Sieve the flour, salt, baking powder and mixed spice into a bowl. Rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar, mixed peel, cherries and orange rind. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and set aside.

When the fruit is cold, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the beaten eggs and fruit. Stir well.

Place mixture in the prepared tin and level the top with the back of a wet spoon. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, then reduce the temperature to 150ºC/300ºF/gas mark 2 and cook for a further 90 minutes approximately. Leave the cake in the tin to cool.
Note: This cake will improve in flavour if left for a few days before cutting. It also freezes well

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Tips

 

Budding chefs will want to know that Chef Factor is back with the most sought after cookery prize in Ireland, a place on the 12 Week Certificate Course at Ballymaloe Cookery School including accommodation. Cully and Sully say ‘You don’t have to be a whizz in the kitchen, this is about the opportunity to become one!’ Enter online www.cheffactor.ie

 

Autumn Gardening Seminar ‘Dermot’s Secret Garden’ will be presented by RTE broadcaster and author Dermot O’Neill and Brian Cross at Fota House on Saturday 24^th September from 9am to 4pm. Tickets are €60.00 including lunch – www.fota.ie

 

Ella McSweeney (Ear to the Ground RTE) has been working on a brilliant online project to link people to Irish farmers who sell direct. It’s a not-for-profit website called Your Field My Fork – it’s free for farmers to use – all they need to do is list the food they rear or grow themselves www.yourfieldmyfork.com

 

Karen Austin from Lettercollum has some exciting autumn cookery courses lined up, visit www.lettercollum.ie to see her schedule or call into the shop, Lettercollum Kitchen Project 22, Connolly Street, Clonakilty or email karen@lettercollum.ie

 

Did we ever think we would hear a discussion on the RTE airwaves about people choosing to go hungry rather than default on their mortgage for fear of loosing their house – the reality has stunned the Irish nation.

One can just imagine how paralysed with fear many must be by the situation they find themselves in. The problem is further exacerbated when people can’t cook or have few practical life skills.

Many nutritious ingredients are inexpensive but one needs to know how to turn them into a delicious nourishing meal.

For those who have a little land, a front or back garden can produce a prodigious amount of food. Beautiful flower beds and a manicured lawn and are all very well, but a well tended vegetable patch will nourish the family and can also be a thing of beauty. A few edible flowers like nasturtiums and marigolds scattered around add colour and are also very high in antioxidants. Even a few pots on a balcony or in a paved or concrete yard can produce a surprising quantity of salad, fresh herbs, spinach, chard… It’s a bit late this year to plant most things but one can still plant winter lettuces, spring cabbages. Autumn onion sets and winter garlic will be soon available, you can even sow broad beans as late as November.

Everyone should have a few hens! Even though the number of households who now have a chicken coop has increased dramatically, many people are still unaware how easy it is to keep a few hens and the enormous rewards for so little effort, it’s win win all the way.

You need to move the chicken-coop around the lawn every couple of days and four or five hens will provide enough eggs for most families. The leftover household scraps supplemented with a little meal can be fed to the hens on a daily basis. Your reward will be beautiful fresh eggs plus you can save money by not having to pay your local council to dispose of the food waste.

The hen manure activates compost and the well rotted result can be dug into the vegetable patch to make the soil more fertile to produce healthy nourishing vegetables for the family.

GIY (Grow it Yourself) Ireland is a brilliant grass roots organisation where members help and support each other in their efforts to learn how to grow vegetables. There are branches in many Irish towns, villages and urban areas, see www.giyireland.com

Members meet regularly, swap and share seeds, plants, surplus vegetables and fruit and are often happy to come and get you started if you don’t know where to begin.

Those of you who are desperate to learn how to cook, you are unlikely to learn practical skills from the celebrity chefs, what is needed are simple dishes that fill and nourish the family. Look out for cooking classes in your local vocational school the new term has started already.

Let those of us who are fortunate enough to have learned the skills of gardening, cooking and foraging pass on the skills at every opportunity to our neighbours, friends and the young people around us.

There are loads of blackberries dripping off the bushes all over the country. There’s a terrific apple crop this year, lets share if we have a surplus and look out for a crab apple tree, and they make a fantastic jelly that will delight your family and friends. Here are a few simple recipes.

Carrot and Cumin Soup

Carrots are inexpensive and nutritious and help you to see in the dark so you save on your electricity bill!

Serves 6 approximately

 

A little freshly toasted and ground cumin adds a Moroccan flavour to carrot soup. If you prefer a plain soup then leave the cumin out.

 

2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds

45g (1 3/4oz) butter

110g (4oz) onion, chopped

140g (5oz) potatoes, chopped

560g (11/4lb) carrots, preferably organic, chopped

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

1.1l (2 pints) homemade chicken or vegetable stock

150ml (1/4 pint) creamy milk, (optional)

Garnish

a little whipped cream or yoghurt

freshly ground cumin

coriander leaves 

Heat the cumin seed on a frying pan, just for a minute or two until it smells rich and spicy. Grind in a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, when it foams add the chopped vegetables and cumin seed. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar and toss until coated. Cover with a butter paper and a tight fitting lid. Allow to sweat gently on a low heat for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened slightly. Remove the lid. Add the boiling stock, increase the heat and boil until the vegetables are soft. Pour into a liquidiser add and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add a little creamy milk if necessary.

Garnish with a blob of whipped cream, natural yoghurt, crème frâiche or sprinkle with a little ground cumin and coriander leaf.

Note : If you would like a more pronounced cumin flavour, increase the amount of cumin seeds to three teaspoons.

Croutons

A delicious way to use up stale bread.

Croutons can be made several hours or even a day ahead with oil flavoured by sprigs of rosemary, thyme or onion. Cut into cubes or stamp out into various shapes – hearts, stars, clubs, diamonds or whatever else takes your fancy – and sprinkle over salads or serve with soups. Serves 4

2 slices of slightly stale white bread, 5mm (1⁄4in) thick

sunflower or olive oil

First cut the crusts off the bread, then cut into 5mm (1⁄4in) strips and finally exact cubes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. It should be at least 2cm (3⁄4in) deep and almost smoking. Put a tin sieve over a Pyrex or stainless-steel bowl.

Add the croutons to the hot oil. Stir once or twice; they will colour almost immediately. When the croutons are golden brown in colour, pour the oil and croutons into the sieve and drain on kitchen paper. Reheat the oil to cook another batch or use for another purpose.

Gratin of Potato, Spring Onion and Bacon

Potatoes are filling and inexpensive.

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

Serves 4 as a main course

Serves 6 as an accompaniment

4oz (110g) to 8oz (225g) of streaky bacon

3 lbs (1.5kg) ‘old’ potatoes, eg. Golden Wonders or Kerrs Pinks

2 bunches of spring onions

1 oz (25g) butter

3-6 ozs (75-175g) Irish mature Cheddar cheese, grated

salt and freshly ground pepper

 (300-450ml) homemade chicken, beef or vegetable stock

Oval ovenproof gratin dish – 12 1/2 inch (31.5cm) long x 2 inch (5cm) high

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/regulo 6.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan, add the bacon and cook on medium heat until the fat runs and the bacon is crispy.

Slice the peeled potatoes thinly, blanch and refresh. Trim the spring onions and chop both the green and white parts into approx. 1/4 inch (5mm) slices with a scissors or a knife.

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

Bake in a preheated oven for 1-1 1/4 hours or until the potatoes and bacon are tender and the top is brown and crispy.

 

Note:

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

Blackberry, Apple and Sweet Geranium Crumble

 

Serves 6-8

Crumbles are comfort food; vary the fruit according to the season.

1 1/2 lbs (675g) Bramley Seedling cooking apples

4oz (110g) blackberries

1 1/2-2 ozs (45-50g) sugar

1-2 tablespoons water

2 chopped sweet geranium leaves (pelargonium graveolens)

Crumble

4 ozs (110g) white flour, preferably unbleached

2 ozs (50g) cold butter

2 ozs (50g) castor sugar

1 oz (25g) chopped almonds or hazelnuts (optional)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

 

2 pint (1.1L) capacity pie dish

 

Peel the apples, cut into quarters, remove the core and cut into large cubes.

Turn into a pie dish, scatter the blackberries and chopped sweet geranium leaves over the top. Sprinkle with sugar.

 

Rub the butter into the flour just until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs, add the sugar and cinnamon and chopped nuts if using. Sprinkle this mixture over the apple in the pie dish. Bake in a preheated moderate oven 180°C/350°F/regulo 4, for 30-45 minutes or until the topping is cooked and golden. Serve with whipped cream and soft brown sugar.

Crab Apple or Bramley Apple Jelly

This makes lots and will see you through the winter – also a handy and welcome present.

Makes 2.7-3kg (6-7 lb)

2.7kg (6 lb) crab apples or wind fall cooking apples

2.7L (4 3/4 pints) water

2 unwaxed lemons

sugar

Wash the apples and cut into quarters, do not remove either peel or core. Windfalls may be used, but make sure to cut out the bruised parts. Put the apples into a large saucepan with the water and the thinly pared rind of the lemons, cook until reduced to a pulp, approx. 3/4 hour.

Turn the pulp into a jelly bag* and allow to drip until all the juice has been extracted – usually overnight. Measure the juice into a preserving pan and allow 450g (1lb/2 cups) sugar to each 600ml (1pint/2 1/2 cups) of juice. Warm the sugar in a low oven.

Squeeze the lemons, strain the juice and add to the preserving pan. Bring to the boil and add the warm sugar. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly uncovered without stirring for about 8-10 minutes. Skim, test and pot immediately.

　

Hot Tips

National Organic Week is on from Monday 12^{th to Sunday 18th September. www.bordbia.ie.　for events and try to link into your local organic farmer to buy direct.}

For brilliant chemical free vegetables, seek out Caroline Robinson’s stall on the Coal Quay Farmers Market in Cork every Saturday from 9am to 4:30pm.

Learn how to make your own cheese –

on Corleggy Farm in Belturbet, Co Cavan, with Silke Cropp on a one day cheese making course on Sunday 18th September and take home your very own kilo of cows milk cheese. €150.00 for the full day including lunch, to book email ^{corleggy@gmail.com}

Calling all pub owners!

If you’d like to learn some really great gastropub cooking don’t miss Jonathan Jones who owns the hugely successful Anchor and Hope pub in London. He will teach a practical two and half day course at Ballymaloe Cookery School from Monday 12th to Wednesday 15th September. Book online at

^{www.cookingisfun.ie or phone 021 4646785.}

The School of Restaurant and Kitchen Management

^{Pub Food Management course is 12 days spread out over September, October and November –giving participants the opportunity to put into practice what they learn as the course progresses – the first day is on Tuesday 13th September visit www.restaurantmanagement.ie/courses}

Every year I take the Ballymaloe Cookery School teachers on a skite toLondon to eat, drink and be very merry all in the way of research. We keep our eyes and ears open for new trends and tasty bites to incorporate into our repertoire and pass on to the students who come to the school.

On Friday afternoon I arrived a little earlier than some of the others and headed for Shoreditch, a really happening area in East Londonto check out the uber cool Rochelle Canteen, a quirky gem in the converted bike shed of a Victorian school. Just missed lunch, but picked up some tantalisingly delicious sounding menus. Like Brooklyn and Harlem inNew York, the Shoreditch/Whitechapel area is all about galvanize and graffiti, recycled building materials, distressed furniture, old china and dynamic street art, all impossibly chic. Just around the corner on Calvert Avenue, I found Leila’s  one of my favourite cafes and grocery shops with an achingly stylish semi open kitchen, a wooden plate rack, rusty galvanise counter, zinc topped tables, old French terracotta bowls and a blackboard. The menu is short and minimalist – toast and jam, fried eggs with sage leaves, puy lentil and courgette soup… I had a little feast – an eclectic mix, a terracotta bowl of Salmorejo with chopped hard boiled egg, strips of Serrano ham and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a bowl of fresh cherries, a gorgeous brownie on a board with a knife so I could cut it into a million little pieces and nibble it in guilty bites with a cup of Robert Wilson Ceylon tea. Sated, I then wandered into the beautiful grocery shop next door and bought some of the tea, a bag of squashed peaches and fantastic cheese. My next stop was Labor and Wait – a shop that is unquestionably my favourite retail experience, no it doesn’t sell clothes or sexy lingerie, it sells the sort of merchandise that you haven’t seen for years, Stanley Flasks, Guernsey Jumpers, vintage kitchen ware, Sussex trugs, enamel pie dishes, zinc dustpans, heavy drill aprons… and they ship…

It’s only a couple of minutes walk from The Albion, Terence Conran’s latest venture, a clever combination of hotel, café and food shop. All very ‘Conran’ but somehow very predictable in comparison to the cutting edge urban chic neighbours. Nonetheless the cafe is phenomenally popular especially for breakfast. On a fine day, visit the stylish rooftop bar and grill with views fromCanaryWharfto the Gherkin and Barbican in the distance. Railroad Cafe is another cute little café cum bookshop in Hackney. Here, Lizzie Parle and her partner Matt serve good tea, coffee, artisan beer and dinner three nights a week and hosts some great gigs downstairs at the weekend. They were writing the menu on a Perspex board and it sounded great but I was bound for Brawn on the corner ofColumbia Roadin Bethnal Green to meet the BCS team. We ordered just about everything on the menu – home made Brawn of course with tiny crunchy gherkins,  a dollop of pork rilettes with crusty bread, pork scratchings, plaice with marsh samphire, capers and brown butter, Cornish sardines with spiced aubergines and harissa, hand chopped Tuscan style beef, confit duck leg with barlotti beans and girolles………The menu is divided into Taste Ticklers, Pig , Plancha Cold, Slow Cook, Pudding and Cheese- don’t miss the wobbly Panna Cotta with cherries and the crepes with salted butter caramel. Great atmosphere, lots of sharing plates, very au courant.

 

Caramelized Chicory with Crozier Blue Cheese and Caramelised Walnuts

 

This is my version of one the Tapas we ate at José, they used Picos Blue Cheese.

 

Serves 6

 

6 heads of chicory (tightly closed with no trace of green)

2 pints (1.1L) water

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

good squeeze of lemon juice

butter

4-6 ozs (110-175g) Crozier Blue crumbed

3 ½ oz (100g) fresh walnuts, halves

3ozs (75g) sugar

Pinch of salt

First cook the chicory.

Remove a thin slice from the root end of each chicory.  Remove the centre root with the tip of a sharp knife if you find it too bitter.  Bring the water to the boil, add salt, sugar and a good squeeze of lemon juice add the chicory and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until almost or completely tender depending on how you intend to finish the cooking. Remove the chicory when it is tender and a knife tip will pierce the root end without resistance.  Drain well and then squeeze out all excess water (I do this in a clean T- towel).

When cool, cut each chicory into 4 lengthwise. Melt the butter in a sauté pan, cook the chicory in a single layer on a low heat until caramelized on all sides, turning when necessary. Meanwhile, caramelise the walnuts.

Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer on a heavy bottom pan over a medium heat. Spread the walnuts evenly over the sugar, cook over a low heat until the sugar first melts and then caramelises. Tilt the pan to coat the walnuts in caramel, careful not to get burnt. Turn out immediately onto a non stick silpat mat or an oiled baking tray. Separate the caramelised nuts immediately with two oiled forks and allow to get cold.

 

To serve

Arrange three pieces of chicory on a hot plate. Scatter some crumbled Crozier Blue cheese on top.

Pop under the grill for a minute or two, the cheese should be slightly melting, add a few coarsely chopped caramelised walnuts – serve immediately.

 

Salmorejo with Hard-Boiled Egg and Serrano

 

Serves 6

 

1 clove of garlic crushed

800g (1lb 7 ½ oz) ripe red tomatoes cut into quarters

50g (2oz) white bread, crust removed and cut into cubes

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 – 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, we use Forum

salt, pepper, and sugar

 

To Serve

2 hard-boiled eggs, roughly chopped

75g (3oz) strips of Serrano ham cut into slivers

extra virgin olive oil

flat parsley

 

Shallow Terracotta Bowls

 

Place the garlic, tomatoes, bread, olive oil and 1 tablespoon of vinegar in to a food processor – season with salt, pepper and sugar. Whizz until well blended but still slightly coarse.

Taste, you may need to add more vinegar, depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes. Chill well. If the mixture is too thick add a little water but not too much. Serve in chilled shallow terracotta bowls with a couple of tablespoons of chopped hard boiled egg and slivers of Serrano ham in the centre of each.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Eat with lots of fresh crusty bread.

 

 

Baked Plaice or Lemon Sole with Samphire, Capers and Brown Butter

 

Plaice and lemon sole are at their best in Summer and early Autumn.  Make this recipe while Marsh Samphire is in season.

 

Serves 4

 

4 baby plaice in season

110g (4oz) Marsh samphire

75g (3oz) butter

1 – 1 1/2oz (25-35g) capers

 

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5.

 

Turn the fish on its side and remove the head.  Wash the fish and clean the slit very thoroughly.  With a sharp knife, cut through the skin right round the fish, just where the ‘fringe’ meets the flesh.  Be careful to cut neatly and to cross the side cuts at the tail or it will be difficult to remove the skin later on.

 

Sprinkle the fish with salt and freshly-ground pepper and lay them in 1cm (1/2 inch) of water in a shallow baking tin.   Bake in a moderately hot oven for 20-30 minutes according to the size of the fish.  The water should have just evaporated as the fish is cooked.  Check to see whether the fish is cooked by lifting the flesh from the bone at the head; it should lift off the bone easily and be quite white with no trace of pink.

 

Meanwhile, wash the samphire under running water.  Cook the samphire in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, drain, keep warm.

 

When the plaice is cooked, transfer to individual hot plates.  Lift off the skin.  Put a few fronds of samphire on top of each fish.  Heat the butter in a saucepan on a high heat, when it foams and turns golden, add the drained capers, allow to sizzle for a minute or two.  Spoon the brown butter and crispy capers over the samphire and fish.  Serve immediately. 

 

Panna Cotta with Grappa and Cherries

 

Inspired by the Rose Gray’s recipe from the River Café.

 

Serves 8-10

 

1.2 litres (2 pints) double cream

2 vanilla pods

Thinly pared rind of 2 lemons

3 gelatine leaves

150 ml (5 fl oz) cold milk

150 g (5 oz) icing sugar

120 ml (4 fl oz) grappa, plus extra to serve

2 punnets of fresh cherries

8-10 moulds, 200 ml (7 fl oz) in size

 

Pour 900 ml (1½ pints) of the cream into a pan; add the vanilla pods and lemon rind bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced by one-third. Remove the cooked lemon rind and keep to one side. Remove the vanilla pods and scrape the softened insides into the cream.

 

Soak the gelatine in the milk for about 15 minutes or until soft. Remove the gelatine, heat the milk until boiling, then return the gelatine to the milk and stir until dissolved. Pour the milk and gelatine mixture into the hot cream through a sieve, stir, then leave to cool.

 

Lightly whip the remaining cream with the icing sugar, fold in the cooled, cooked cream, then add the grappa. Place a piece of cooked lemon rind in each of the moulds, pour in the cream mixture to two thirds full and allow to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours

 

Turn out on to dessert plates and serve with fresh cherries and a tablespoon of grappa poured over the top.

 

Hottips

 

LondonFood Market Guide – Flynn Hall is the person to contact if you’d like a brilliant guided tour of the Bermondsey Market – highly recommended 00447772875474.

 

The CliffBarAcademyis Ireland’s only bespoke bartender school of its kind that offers courses to become a professional bartender in a short period of time. They can also tailor make courses for companies. Contact Richard Linden  +353 1 638 3939 info@thecliffbaracademy.com

 

Keep an eye out for damsons, sloes and crab-apples when you walk in the park or through country lanes, they are not ripe yet but will be in mid-September and then you can make Damson and Sloe Gin and Jams and jellies for your winter store cupboard.

 

A Taste of West Cork Food Festival takes place in Skibbereen, West Cork from Saturday 10th to Sunday 18th September. Some of the exciting highlights include… Island Hopping with starters and dinner on Heir and Sherkin Islands on the MV Mystic Water. Then back to Casey’s Baltimore for dessert and music. Very limited numbers so contact 086-3639856. Celtic Cook-off, where chefs from different parts of Britain and Ireland will cook-off against each other, in a time and tasting competition at the West Cork Hotel and “A Taste of West Cork” Local and Artisan Food Producer’s Awards where the West Cork people will get a chance to vote for their favourite foods, producers and marketing. For the full program visit www.atasteofwestcork.com

 

Taste Council – Food Summer School

The Taste Council in association with Bord Bia will host the first national symposium on the current and future contribution of the artisan and the speciality food producer to the Irish Economy.

The ‘Future is Food’ Summer School will bring together stakeholders from the agriculture and food industries in addition to key government departments and media to discuss the best ways to use the potential we are so lucky to have in Ireland.

This is on Tuesday 30th August, 2011 at The Brooklodge Hotel, Macreddin Village, Co. Wicklow .

To book accommodation at the Brook Lodge Hotel please call Orlaith Merrigan or Fiona Kavanagh at Reservations on 0402 36444 or by email at reservations1@brooklodge.com
 

 

 

 

 

A letter from Elisabeth Ryan of SHERIDANS CHEESEMONGERS

Dear  Customers & Friends!

 

Just wanted to update you about progress with Campaign for Raw Milk and also let you know about the Debate to be held in Dublin in the Sugar Club on Tuesday 6^th September at 7pm

See attached poster for details.

 

See also attached short info leaflet on the campaign if you wanted to print out or post online etc…

 

We also have a website now:     www.rawmilkireland.com

where you will find more details on everything raw.. ( we’re also on Facebook and Twitter, any help to promote these greatly appreciated)

 

Anyone who would like to help to STOP THIS BAN , now is the time – by promoting the debate on the 6^th and getting info about the Campaign out to as many people as possible!!

 

Thank-you

 

Kind Regards

Elisabeth

 

***PLEASE REPLY UNSUBSCRIBE IF YOU DO NOT WSH TO RECEIVE FUTURE MAILS FROM SHERIDANS***

 

Elisabeth Ryan

SHERIDANS CHEESEMONGERS

Virginia Road Station, Pottlereagh, Kells, Co. Meath

Tel: +353 (0) 46 924 5110   Fax: +353 (0) 46 924 5738   Mob: +353 (0) 86 394 9270

Philip Boucher-Hayes and Suzanne Campbell ‘s programme ‘What’s Ireland Eating?’ opened a right ‘can of worms’ when it was shown on RTE some time ago. It highlighted the stark reality of the modern Irish diet and what many of our children are eating. School lunches are an eternal dilemma for busy mothers. What can we put in the lunch box that will both entice and nourish our little dotes? Often those two aspirations seem poles apart. The challenge to make tasty bites is only part of the problem; peer pressure can prevent kids who normally have a healthy selection from eating it. Children desperately want to fit in and anything that sets them apart can cause anxiety and embarrassment. The ham or cheese sandwich seems to be a perennial standby, so instead of processed meat, why not cook a piece of bacon at the beginning of the week, slice it thinly, it makes superb ham sandwiches. If your child insists on white bread, then make a little loaf, the same recipe can be adapted for a light brown bread that many children love. It’s honestly made in minutes and can be sliced thinly to make cute little sandwiches, include a few little cherry tomatoes and batons of carrot or beetroot for them to nibble. In general the quality of sliced pan is appalling with a few rare exceptions, if you must use it seek out a traditional baker (a truly threatened species) in your area, they may still be making traditional bread. If you are fortunate enough to find a good artisan baker, support them, they are treasures and we badly need a revival for the sake of the health of the nation. A little container of tasty salad with grated carrot, apple and some nuts and seeds is easy to eat, delicious and certainly nutritious for dessert, a little pot of natural yoghurt with some honey or stewed fruit would be good – steer away from the sweetened versions some of which contain aspartame, an increasingly controversial sweetener. A little flask of soup will be warm and welcoming in winter months. Children also love drumsticks or chicken wings – easy to eat and filling. Beans or chickpeas are another inexpensive source of protein, tossed in a tasty dressing – they can become a favourite. Squares of frittata on a little slice of well seasoned quiche can be delicious occasionally. Of course a little sweet treat in the form of finger shortbread, a flapjack, Anzacs or an occasional ‘fairy cake’ or plain queen cake. Fruit is also a must, little tangerines, a small apple, banana, peach or a few cherries depending on the season and the budget. Hard boiled eggs with a little pot of salsa or garlic mayonnaise, chicken sandwiches or wraps with Ballymaloe Relish or Chutney. My grandchildren also love a little pot of potato salad with chives, pitta bread stuffed with hummus, some salad leaves a cherry tomato and maybe some batons of crispy cucumber. Slices of salami or chorizo are also easy to pick up and nibble. Pancakes, drop scones, tiny muffins, nuts and raisins and of course smoothies are all firm favourites.

 

A little White Soda Bread Loaf

 

 

You can make it in the round traditional way or like this in a loaf tin which is more convenient for slicing or sandwiches

 

1 lb (450g) white flour, preferably unbleached

1 level teaspoon salt

1 level teaspoon breadsoda

sour milk or buttermilk to mix – 15 fl ozs (425 ml) approx

oatmeal, sesame seeds or kibbled wheat (optional)

 

First fully preheat your oven to 230ºC/450ºF/regulo 8.

 

Sieve the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre. Pour most of the milk in at once. Using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, but not too wet. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well floured worked surface. Scoop it into the oiled tin, sprinkle with oatmeal and sesame or kibbled wheat seeds if you enjoy them. Place in the hot oven immediately turning down the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/regulo 6 for 45 minutes. Remove from the tin and return the bread to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes or until fully cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.

 

 

White Soda Scones

 

Make the dough as above but flatten the dough into a round 1 inch (2.5cm) deep approx. Cut into scones. Cook for 20 minutes approx. in a hot oven (see above).

 

Carrot and Apple Salad with Honey and Vinegar 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.

 

 

Quiche Lorraine

 

Serves 6

　

1 x quantity Shortcrust Pastry (see recipe)　

1 tablespoon olive oil

175g 6oz) streaky bacon cut into 1cm (1/2in) lardons

100g (4oz) chopped onions

3 eggs and 2 egg yolks

300ml (1/2 pint) double cream

1 scant tablespoon chopped parsley

1 scant tablespoon chopped chives

50g (2oz) Cheddar cheese, grated

50g (2oz) Gruyère cheese, grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

23cm (9 inch) diameter baking tin

Make the pastry (see recipe).

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Line the tart tin and ‘bake blind’ for about 25 minutes, the base should be almost fully cooked. Remove the paper and beans, brush the base with a little beaten egg white and replace in the oven for 3-4 minutes. This will seal the base and avoid the “soggy bottom” effect.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and dry on kitchen paper.　Then sweat the onions gently in the same oil for a further 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl, add the cream, herbs, cheeses and cool bacon and onions. Mix well and add seasoning.

Pour the filling into the pastry base and return to the oven for 30–40 minutes or until the centre has set. Serve warm with a green salad and relish.

 

 

 

Basic Shortcrust Pastry

 

 

6 ozs (175g) white flour, spelt or sieved wholemeal flour

3 ozs (75g) butter

pinch of salt

beaten egg or water (to bind)

 

Sieve the flour with the salt, cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour with the fingertips. Keep everything as cool as possible; if the fat is allowed to melt, the finished pastry may be tough. When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, stop. Whisk the egg or egg yolk and add some water. Take a fork or knife, (whichever you feel most comfortable with) and add just enough liquid to bring the pastry together, then discard the fork and collect it into a ball with your hands, this way you can judge more accurately if you need a few more drops of liquid. Although rather damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape as the water evaporates in the oven. The drier and more difficult -to-handle pastry will give a crispier shorter crust.

 

Cover the pastry with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.

 

N.B. 4 ozs (110 g) pastry will line one 6-7 inch (15-18cm) flan tin.

 

 

Note

3ozs (75g) will produce a richer pastry, but beginners would be wiser to use

2ozs (50g) butter to 4oz (110g) flour for ease of handling.

 

Potato and Spring Onion Salad

 

Serves 4-6

2 lbs (900g) freshly cooked potatoes – diced, allow about 2 1/4 lbs (1.1kg) raw potatoes

4 tablespoons chopped parsley

4 tablespoons chopped spring onion or chives

4 fl ozs (110ml) French dressing

4 fl oz (110 ml) mayonnaise

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

The potatoes should be boiled in their jackets and peeled, diced and measured while still hot. Mix immediately with the chopped spring onion and parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the French dressing, allow to cool and finally add the mayonnaise. Keeps well for about 2 days in the fridge.

Note: This potato salad is also delicious without mayonnaise. Potato salad may be used as a base for other salads, eg. add cubes of garlic salami, cooked Kabanossi sausages or cooked mussels.

 

Drop Scones

 

Makes 12

110g (4ozs) self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

25g (1oz) caster sugar

pinch of salt

1 egg

110ml (4fl ozs) milk

drop of sunflower oil, for greasing

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add the sugar and salt and stir to mix. Make a well in the centre, crack in the egg and whisk, gradually drawing in the flour from the edge. Add the milk gradually, whisking all the time, to form a smooth batter.

Lightly grease a frying pan and warm it over a moderate heat. Drop 3 tablespoons of the batter into the pan, keeping well apart so they don’t stick together. Cook for about 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface and begin to burst and the drop scones are golden underneath, then flip them over and cook on the other side for a minute or until golden on this side as well.

Remove from the pan and serve warm with butter and jam, apple jelly, lemon curd or if you are like my children, chocolate spread! (If you wish, wrap the drop scones in a clean tea towel to keep warm while you make the rest.)

 

Lisa Bowskill’s 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

 

Flapjacks

 

These nutritious oatmeal biscuits keep very well in a tin. Children love to munch them with a banana. Don’t compromise – make them with butter, because the flavour is immeasurably better. This is the recipe that I use when I want to prove to people who swear they can’t boil water that they can cook. We often drizzle them with melted chocolate as an extra treat. Makes about 24

 

350g (12oz) butter

 

1 tablespoon golden syrup

 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

225g (8oz) caster sugar

 

450g (1lb) rolled oatmeal (porridge oats)

 

Swiss roll tin 25 x 38cm (10 x 15in)

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

 

Melt the butter, add the golden syrup and vanilla extract, stir in the sugar and oatmeal and mix well. Spread evenly into the Swiss roll tin.

 

Bake until golden and slightly caramelised, about 30 minutes. Cut into squares while still warm – they will crisp up as they cool.

 

Variation

 

Oatmeal and coconut flapjacks

 

substitute 50g (2oz) desiccated coconut for 50g (2oz) oatmeal in the above recipe.

 

 

 

Anzac Biscuits

 

 

Makes 34 biscuits approximately, depending on size

 

150g (5 oz) plain flour

50g (2 oz) porridge oats

50g (2 oz) desiccated coconut

150g (5 oz) castor sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

150g (5 oz) butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

 

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas Mark 2

 

In a large bowl stir together the flour, oats, coconut, sugar and the baking powder. In a small saucepan combine the butter and the syrup and cook the mixture over a moderately low heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and combine the mixture well. Place into small balls and put them 5cm (2 inches) apart on baking sheets and flatten them slightly with the back of a fork dipped in water. Bake the cookies in the middle of a preheated oven for 15 minutes or until they are golden. Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet, transfer them with a spatula to a rack, and let them cool completely.

 

Hottips

Limerick Slow　Food　Celebration

is on Sunday 21st August from　12.00pm to 5pm at Curraghchase Farm Kilcornan, Co Limerick. Learn a few Forgotten Skills – bee keeping talk and demo, pig and poultry keeping (free range), an informal walk and talk, Shorthorn Cattle Society, talk and roast beef tasting, forest mushroom growing display, bread making demo of simple soda bread, organic vegetable growing from the poly tunnel. Admission €5. Caroline Rigney has compiled and written a small book full of stories, features and recipes and it will be on sale, all profits to go to Pieta House for suicide awareness. Email – info@rigneysfarm.com Mobile 087 2834754.

Raw Milk Sales Threatened

– Those who feel strongly about the importance of having freedom of choice to buy unpasteurised milk from a clean and healthy herd may want to sign the petition on the Slow Food Ireland website see www.slowfoodireland.com

Waterford Harvest Festival

is on this year from Saturday 3rd to Sunday 11th September. Three main Slow Food events are Artisan Food Tours to artisan producers – booking essential for this. Tutors from the school of Artisan Foods in the UK will give demonstrations on Cheese Production, Butchery and other artisan food skills. Slow Food France will be be providing demonstrations and tastings of Catalonian food in the Theatre Royal during the festival. Visit the All Ireland Slow Food Market with over 150 food stalls along the One Mile Quay on Sunday 11th September. http://www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie

Let’s pretend its Summer! We’ll whip up a few delicious salads from the bounty of fresh Summer fruit and vegetables in season. Once again I am snatching a few days holidays in West Cork and am reminded of just how fortunate both locals and visitors to this area are – the quality of the produce from local farms, fishermen and markets is truly superb.

I managed to catch Bantry market on the first Friday of the month – that’s the big one – when the usual weekly market quadruples in size and spills out along several of the roads from the central square. Everything you might need or not need is available at Bantry market from fancy fowl, knick-knacks, frilly dresses and all manner of apparel both vintage and new, fresh herbs, flowers and rare plants, fishing gear, wellies, handy tools and of course artisan food. I filled up my bags and baskets and did my bit for several of the other retailers too, all of whom seemed to be doing a roaring trade on market day. West Cork markets have a very special quality which I find totally charming, slightly anarchic in the best possible way – a mixture of food, craft, and lots of surprises. Skibbereen is another example of a great little market which totally reflects the diversity of the area and the creative mix of locals and newcomers. You’ll find the eclectic collection of stalls in the Fair Field just off Bridge Street on Saturday mornings.

Schull Country Market is another brilliant example; this is tucked into the car park over looking Schull Pier and Harbour on Pier Road. Fewer stalls but an appealing mix of local food, plants and craft. It was thronged recently with regulars and holiday makers, many of whom were deeply envious and wished they could clone the market and transport it to their own area. If you are close to Baltimore on Sunday mornings, check out the market just outside Caseys Hotel close to Glebe Café and Gardens.

I didn’t manage to make it to the Clonakilty market on Thursday and I hear there is also a market in Leap on Wednesday and yet another in Roscarberry on Saturday mornings.

Scarcely enough days in the week to visit them all and certainly not enough meals to eat all the tempting produce.

Don’t forget the original and still brilliant Country Markets – Skibbereen on Fridays in Abbeystrewry Church Hall – and for details of others www.countrymarkets.ie/our-markets and www.westcorkmarkets.com

Here are some of the dishes I enjoyed from my forays around the markets.

　

Rory O’Connells Hot Mackerel Salad with Land Cress, Ruby Beetroot, Eggs and Horseradish Mayonnaise

 

Mackerel is a wonderful fish, beautiful to look at and beautiful to eat. Its elegant and streamlined shape, beautiful markings and flashing silvery colouring make it a sight to behold. The most important thing, though, is the freshness of the fish. In east cork where I live near the fishing village of Ballycotton, there is an expression that goes “the sun should never set on a mackerel”. I am in the fortunate position of being able to drive the couple of miles to the village, and can buy fish from the anglers at the pier, before the sun sets. Straight home with them then and into the pan. Regardless of your closeness to the source of the fish, do try to ensure you are bringing home a really fresh fish.

Mackerel responds very well to many different cooking techniques. It can be poached, baked, roasted, pan fried, or as in this case grilled. I also like to souse and pickle it. Mackerel is one of the busiest fish in the sea and is constantly moving through the water and feeding. Its athletic lifestyle is fuelled by the omega oil that it stores in its body and which is regarded as highly beneficial for us all. So how can you go wrong with a fish that looks that good, tastes that great and is cheering our bodies up as well, and not forgetting that is still great value for money.

Beetroot and horseradish are obvious combinations with this oily fish and the eggs add a little richness. If you can’t kind the peppery land cress that I suggest here, replace it with watercress, rocket leaves or a few organic or wild greens.

This salad can be served as a starter or a main course. Here I am giving quantities for serving as a main course so just reduce the quantities accordingly for serving as a starter.

Serves 4

4 mackerel, filleted

4 ruby beetroot, gently washed and leaves trimmed

pinch of salt and sugar

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon more for cooking the fish

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

seasoned flour

4 handfuls of land cress, washed and dried

extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 organic eggs, hardboiled, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons horseradish mayonnaise (see recipe)

Garnish

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Place the beetroot in a saucepan they fit snugly into. Season with a good pinch of salt and sugar. Cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the beetroot are cooked. The length of cooking time of the beets is determined by the size, age and freshness of the vegetable. They will take a minimum of 30 minutes and up to two hours to cook. Any that take longer than that to cook tend to be either too big or too old and can be woody and faded when peeled. If the water evaporates during the cooking, top it up with fresh water. Check to see if the beetroot are cooked by lifting one out of the saucepan and rubbing the skin. If the skin rubs off with no resistance, they are cooked. If not, replace in the saucepan and cook for longer. When cooked, remove and allow to cool slightly. I like to dress them while still warm. Mix the olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Peel the beetroot and slice in 1cm (1/2 inch) slices or cut into sections. Toss in the dressing, taste and correct seasoning.

Heat a heavy frying pan until hot but not quite smoking and glaze the bottom of the pan with a little olive oil. Dip the mackerel fillets in seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Place the fish, skin side down in the hot oil and cook until a rich golden colour is achieved. Turn and cook on the other side.

While the fish are cooking, divide the greens between four, large hot plates. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the beetroot and their dressing on the greens and then divide the egg quarters between the plates. Drizzle each plate with a dessertspoon of horseradish mayonnaise, particularly over the eggs and the beetroot. Place the cooked fish, straight from the pan on top of the salads. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.

 

Horseradish Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of caster sugar

2 tablespoons of wine vinegar

1/4 pint (150ml) sunflower oil or light olive oil or a mixture

1 heaped tablespoon of finely, grated fresh horseradish

1 teaspoon of chopped parsley and tarragon

Put the egg yolks, mustard, sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk well and add the oil gradually, whisking all the time. The sauce will emulsify quite easily. Add the horseradish and chopped herbs. Taste and correct seasoning. It is unlikely to need salt because of the large quantity of mustard.

Chill until needed.

　

Skye Gyngell’s Crab Salad with Nam Jim and Mixed Cress

I found some really delicious cooked crab meat in Fields Supervalu in Skibbereen so I could make this delicious salad – we love Sky Gyngell’s food at Petersham Nurseries Café in Richmond – this comes from her book “A Year in my Kitchen”

Serves 4

500g (1lb 2oz) freshly prepared white crab meat

Handful of mixed cress or wild rocket

1 large, mild red chilli, finely sliced (optional)

Nam Jim

2 garlic cloves, peeled

bunch of coriander, roots and stems only, washed

Sea salt

1 green bird’s eye chilli, chopped

2 tablespoons palm sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste

2 red shallots, peeled and finely chopped

To Serve

lime wedges

First make the nam jim (as close to serving as possible). Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic and coriander roots and stems with a pinch of salt until well crushed. Add the chilli and continue to pound. Mix in the sugar, fish sauce and lime juice, then stir in the chopped shallots. Before serving, taste and adjust the flavours as necessary, perhaps adding a little more salt or lime juice.

Dress the crab with about 4 tablespoons (5 American tablespoons) of nam jim – enough to give it a clean, clear, sweet, hot flavour, but not too much otherwise you will overpower the delicate taste of the crab. Scatter the mixed cress through, along with the red chilli for an extra kick if required. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

　

Nectarine, Proscuitto, Irish Mozarella and Mint Salad

I picked up some Irish Buffalo Mozarella and Ricotta from the Real Olive Stall at the Bantry Market and made this salad.

 

Serves 6

4 ripe nectarines or peaches

Rocket leaves – enough for 6 plates

12 slices of prosciutto or Serrano ham

3 fresh Irish Buffalo Mozarella

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

About 30 spearmint leaves

extra virgin olive oil

Halve the ripe nectarines, remove the stones. Slice each nectarine or peach into 3 pieces. Scatter a few rocket leaves on each plate. Put 3 pieces of fruit on each plate. Tear the mozzarella and tuck it in here and there. Season with flakes of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Scatter with torn mint leaves. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.

　

Ricotta with a Compote of Apricots and Sweet Geranium Leaves

　

Serves 6

2 balls of fresh Irish Ricotta

450g (1lb) fresh apricots

225g (8ozs) sugar

250ml (8 fl ozs) cold water

4-6 large rose geranium leaves (Pelargonium Graveolens) if you can’t find rose geranium, lemon verbena, spearmint or lemon balm are delicious alternatives.

Put the sweet geranium leaves into a saucepan with the sugar and water, bring slowly to the boil. Meanwhile, slice the apricots in half and remove the stones.

 

Add the halved apricots to boiling water cover the saucepan and simmer until the apricots are soft. Turn into a bowl and chill.

To Serve

Spoon a portion of fresh Irish Ricotta onto each individual plate. Serve with a few poached apricots and some juice, garnish with a sweet geranium leaf and some softly whipped cream

Telephone Toby Simmonds 021 4270842 for details of your nearest stockist of Irish Mozzarella.

Hottips

Garden Workshop: Summer Pruning at Ballymaloe Cookery School

on Monday 15th August at 9.00 am – 2.00pm. The Fruit Garden at the Ballymaloe Cookery School is bursting with lush juicy fruit – peaches, plums, apples and pears. Susan Turner who was head gardener at the Ballymaloe Cookery School for many years is teaching a half day course on pruning fan trained peaches, plums and cherries as well as training apples and pears in cordons, espaliers and step overs…..This course is ideal for those who want to develop their fruit garden both in a functional and decorative capacity…….Limited places available…€95 Light lunch included. Booking Essential 021 4646785 info@cookingisfun.ie

West Cork Garlic – I met Axel and Mary Miret at the Skibbereen Farmers Market, they grow five or six different varieties of French garlic near Enniskeen – Albigensian, Solent, Picardy and Lautrec…a welcome home-grown alternative to the Chinese garlic flooding the country – 023 8847302.

If you are looking for rare plants and unusual herbs seek out Doris and Achim Hoffmann from Peppermint Farm – they sell beautiful healthy plants at several West Cork Farmers Markets. Telephone – 028-31869 or info@peppermintfarm.ie

Although I’ve been to Morocco several times, I’ve never been to the capital Rabat before – it’s a beautiful city right on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

Just a mere half a kilometre from the Centreville locals can stroll on the beach and splash and frolic in the sea. I loved wandering through the narrow white and blue washed lanes of the Kasbah des Oudaias in and out of the sunlight; catching little breezes. The colour of the walls, the texture of the plaster, the doorways and doorknockers, all give a clue as to the inhabitants of the house, Muslim, Christian, Andalucían, Portuguese…

Before you leave that area take a stroll through the Andalucían garden reminiscent of the Alambra Palace in Granada then pause at the Moorish Café overlooking the Bouregreg River for a frothy mint tea served in a gold edged glass and the most delicious Moroccan biscuits you will taste in Rabat – the same family have baked them for over a hundred and fifty years – each has a name – cornes de gazzel, doigts the jeune fille bracelet de marriage, macaroon de cocoa, Briouts and triangular filo pastries tossed in honey and sesame seeds…

Inside the thick walls of the medina there is a labyrinth of alleyways with stalls selling clothes, shoes, jewellery, kitchen ware, and of course food. Piles of ground spices, dates, almonds, walnuts, olives, preserved lemons, couscous, sea salt and saffron from Taroudant. Another stall sold soft cheeses in wicker baskets, and for the cook a mesmerising selection of terracotta tagines and soft clay cooking pots are piled high.

The raison d’être for my visit was the International Slow Food Meeting. the Moroccan members were anxious to give us a Taste of Morocco so we had several cooked salads, La Grande couscous and at least five different tagines, the most memorable of which was a chicken with olives, saffron and preserved lemons and lamb with okra and cardamom. We also had plump figs, lots of dates, argan oil and a variety of Moroccan flat breads.

Morocco is still brilliant value for money; a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice of at a street stall will cost you 4 Dirham (about 40 cent).

At another memorable meal, we enjoyed Mechoui, young milk fed lamb, roasted to melting tenderness with thin crispy skin, served simply with salt and freshly ground cumin.

As is the Moroccan tradition a whole lamb was served to each table of eight. After we had feasted we all worried about the delicious remains but The Slow Food Convivia leader of Rabat, Zoubida Charrouf told us about the tradition of cooking more than was needed to share with the poor and homeless after the meal.

How about having a Moroccan feast this weekend, most of the dishes are made for sharing with the family.

 

Moroccan Grilled Tomato and Pepper Salad

 

Claudia Roden gave us this delicious recipe.

 

Serves 6

Choose fleshy peppers. Put them on a baking sheet under the broiler about 3 ½ inches (9cm) from the heat (or grill them on the barbecue). Turn them until their skins are black and blistered all over. Alternatively, roast them in the hottest oven for ½ hour, or until they are soft and their skins begin to blister and blacken – they need to be turned only once. To loosen the skins further, put them in a pan with a tight fitting lid or in a strong polyethylene or brown paper bag and twist it closed. Leave for 10 – 15 minutes. This helps to loosen the skins. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel them and remove the stem and seeds. Keep the juice that comes out and strain it to remove the seeds, for it can be used as part of the dressing

 

3 red or green bell peppers

3 tomatoes

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1-2 tablespoons wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

 

Grill or roast the peppers and tomatoes (see above). Take the tomatoes out after about 10 minutes, when the skin is loosened and they are only a little soft. Peel the peppers and tomatoes and cut them into pieces. Dress with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

 

For a flavoursome Moroccan version, add 2-3 chopped garlic cloves, 1-teaspoon cumin, the chopped peel of 1 preserved lemon, and 1-2 hot chilli peppers, seeded and finely chopped. If you have an opportunity to buy the rare argan oil, it is wonderful with this, as well as with most salads.

You may grill or roast a head of garlic at the same time, then peel the cloves. Garlic needs 10 minutes in the oven to become soft.

Tagine of Chicken with Green Olives and Saffron

Serves 6

1 free range and organic chicken, jointed

2 onions chopped

2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons coriander leaves

1 small cinnamon stick

½ preserved lemon, cut into dice (see recipe) (optional, depending on size, leave whole)

175g (6oz) green olives, rinsed and stoned

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Marinade:

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Pinch of saffron strands

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin, toasted and ground

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Coriander leaves

Cous cous

First prepare the marinade. Mix the garlic, saffron, ginger, cumin, paprika, salt, freshly ground pepper and the olive oil in a bowl. Spread over the chicken, transfer the meat to a shallow dish, cover with Clingfilm and leave overnight to marinate in the fridge.

Next day, transfer the chicken and the marinade to a casserole. Add the onions, parsley, coriander and cinnamon stick and half cover with water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, turning the chicken pieces frequently in the liquid. Add more water if it starts to reduce. Cook for a further 15 minutes, partly covered, until the chicken is tender and almost falls from the bone. Add the preserved lemons and the olives and continue cooking for a further 5-6 minutes so the flavours combine.

Transfer the chicken pieces, lemon and olives to a serving dish and cover to keep warm. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Boil the sauce uncovered until it is about 250ml (9fl oz). Add the lemon juice and season to taste with more salt and freshly ground pepper.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately with lots of fresh coriander and cous cous.

 

North African Preserved Lemons

 

The skins of lemons preserved in salt, also referred to as “pickled”, lend a curious and wonderfully intense flavour to North African dishes.

6 lemons (choose them with thick skins)

6 tablespoons course or fine sea salt

juice of 3 lemons or more

Wash and scrub the lemons. The classic Moroccan way is to cut each lemon in quarters but not right through, so that the pieces are still attached at the stem end, and to stuff each with plenty of salt. Put them in a glass jar, pressing them down so they are squashed together, and close the jar. It is best if they pack the tightly. Leave for 3-4 days, by which time the juice will have been drawn out of the lemons and the skins will have softened. Press them down as much as you can (it is usual to put a clean stone or heavy object on top to keep them down and add fresh lemon juice to cover them entirely. Close the jar and leave in a cool place for at least a month, at which point they should be ready. The longer they are left, the better the flavour.

Before using, wash well to rid of the salt.

Variations

Salted water is sometimes poured in instead of the extra lemon juice.

Some people pour a little oil on top as a protective film.

Another Moroccan way is to slice 2lbs (1kg) lemons, sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of salt, and put them in a jar. After about 3 days, when the juice has been drawn out add more lemon juice to cover and about ¼ cup of peanut or olive oil, which acts as a protection.

 

　

 

Cous Cous with Apricots and Pistachio Nuts

 

 

Serves 8

 

12 ozs (340g) Couscous (precooked)

16 fl ozs (450ml) homemade chicken stock or water

2 ozs (50g) dried apricots (soaked in cold water)

2 ozs (50g) pistachio nuts (or toasted almonds) halved

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 

Put the couscous, apricots and pistachio nuts into a pyrex bowl, cover with boiling water or stock and allow to soak for 15 minutes, stir every now and then. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and add some olive oil. Cover dish heat through in a moderate oven 180°C/350°F/Reglo 4 for about 10 minutes. We usually put the bowl into a bain-marie.

　

 

Variation

 

Instead of apricots and pistachio nuts stir in 2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) of freshly chopped fresh herbs just before serving, eg. mint or coriander, parsley and chives.

 

A little grated orange rind or lemon rind and freshly squeezed juice is also delicious.

 

 

Moroccan Snake

 

 

One of the glories of Moroccan confectionery, great for a party. Individual “snakes” can be made with a single sheet of filo.

 

Serves 10-15 people

 

1 packet best quality filo pastry

 

 

Filling

 

1 lb (450g) ground almonds

12 ozs (350g) castor sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

3-4 fl ozs (75-110ml) orange flower water

 

3-4 ozs (75-110g) melted butter

 

Mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl to form a paste.

 

 

To Assemble

 

Lay one sheet of filo on the work top, brush with melted butter. Take a fist full of the paste and make into a snake about 1 inch (2.5cm) thick. Lay this along the long side of the sheet of filo, about 1 inch (2.5cm) in from the edge. Roll up and bend into an accordion shape and then roll up into a ‘snail’. Put a sheet of tin foil on a baking sheet and lay the snail on top, continue with the rest of the filo and paste. Press the ends together to seal the joining and continue to make the snake. Brush with egg wash and then with melted butter. Bake in a preheated moderate oven 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for approx. 30 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cool.

 

Dust with icing sugar and perhaps a little sweet cinnamon.

　

Hottips

If you would like to source some really great saffron from Morocco contact Safran Maroc, Cooperative Agricole Taliouine, Centre Commune Rurale Tassousfi, 12km De Taliouine Province Taroudant. Email – coop.taliouine@yahoo.fr

Apart from the moving statue there’s yet another good reason to visit Ballinspittle near Kinsale. I’ve discovered Diva a lovely little café with lots of little pots of healthy organic herbs growing outside. I bought some crusty potato bread and scanned the delicious sounding menu. The Crab Ravioli with Ginger and Lemongrass sounded really good. Shannen Keane sources many of her ingredients locally; she gets her veggies from Liz and Colum O’Regan from Horizon Farms in Kinsale. John and Mary Cronin of Feirm Ur – from Belgooly supply the organic buttermilk and yoghurt which Shannen uses in the tsatziki she serves with her delicious lamb burgers. In June, Shannen opened Diva Boutique Bakery where they make Ballinspittle seeded sough dough, wheaten loaf, New York style rustic rye… breads for the café. They also make hand rolled croissants. Follow Diva on twitter dvaboutiquebake and on Shannen’s blog www.divaboutiquebakery.blogspot.com – email – diva,ballinspittle@gmail.com or phone 021 4778465 for the opening hours.

Vickie and Tristan lived in a chic little mews house behind Paddington Station in Central London, but when they inherited a beautiful ‘chocolate box’ thatched cottage with an Aga beside a fishing cove close to Landsend they decided to move, lock stock and buggy to Cornwall with their toddler Tonsley and baby Briar. Before starting a family, Vickie was a full time counsellor and psychotherapist, her husband Tristan is a marine biologist and oyster farmer who needs to travel backwards and forwards to London a lot.

So how did they adjust to a quiet rural life in the country?

Two and half year old Tonsley loves cooking, Vickie loves baking and desperately wanted to get to grips with the Aga – baking in the Aga is a quite a different skill!

There was lots of trial and error, fun and tears and lots of tempting treats but no matter how delicious, there are only so many cakes you can eat!

Their house is just above the little fishing cove of Penberth close to the coastal path which attracts lots and lots of walkers even on week days.

Traditionally the family, like many in Cornwall, had a roadside stall with an ‘honesty box’ where they sold bunches of choice daffodils and lilies in season.

You’ve guessed, Vicky decided to cover the stall with a pretty cloth; she added a posy of flowers and laid out a tempting plate of brownies with a reasonable price tag of around £1 each and waited to see the reaction – they were snapped up.

Next she tried a whole cake and left out a knife so walkers could cut themselves a slice. To her surprise, people normally cut smaller slices than she would have offered and there was often more money in the ‘honesty box’ than she expected plus an occasional little note of delight and appreciation. Cornish cream teas (scones sandwiched with jam and cream) Brownies and Passion cake are all favourites and at Easter she got high praise for her Simnel cake and sold three full cakes within a couple of days.

When something doesn’t quite turn out according to plan Vicky writes a note and shares the story of the ‘wonky cake’ or less than fluffy brownie and her growing fan club of locals and walkers love it and forgive the imperfections – but she tells me she’s definitely improving and is really “getting the hang of the Aga.”

The little cake-stall is over two miles from the nearest local shop and much further from a café so you can imagine, it is, as one delighted walker wrote ‘like a mirage in the desert’

Vicky has added homemade lemonade to her offering in response to a request from a thirsty walker – what a lovely idea – and one that can easily be replicated in many country and coastal areas in Ireland to delight visitors and provide a bit of ‘pin’ money for stay-at-home mums. Here are some of the suggestions.

　

 

Vickie Hugh-Jones’s Passion Cake

It’s not surprising that this is a favourite with Cornish walkers.

Serves 8 – 10

Cooking time: 65 minutes approx.

200g/8oz grated carrot
50g/2oz chopped walnuts
2 ripe bananas, mashed
200g/8oz light muscavado sugar
3 eggs
250g/10oz plain flour, sifted
1 level teaspoon salt
1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 level teaspoons baking powder
180ml/6 fl.oz vegetable oil

Topping
250g/10oz mascarpone
200g/8oz cream cheese
200g/8oz sifted icing sugar
pulp of 1 passion fruit, strained to separate seeds (zest of 1 orange can be used alternatively)

23cm/9inch round cake tin
Pre-heat oven to 180C/Gas 4/350F. Place walnuts and mashed banana in a bowl. Add sugar and eggs. Sieve flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into the bowl. Add oil and mix all these ingredients together well. Finally add the carrots and combine into the mixture. Place the mixture into a greased and lined 23cm/9″ cake tin and place in the centre of the pre-heated oven and cook for 65 minutes or until golden brown and cooked in the middle. Turn onto a cooling rack.

Topping
Put the icing sugar, mascarpone and cream cheese into a bowl and mix until soft and creamy. Gradually beat in enough passion fruit (or orange zest) so that the mixture continues to hold it’s texture. When the cake is cool, spread the mixture over the top. A rough finish will look appropriate. 　

 

Coffee Cake with Toasted Hazelnuts

 

This is a splendid recipe for an old-fashioned coffee cake. Everyone loves it. I’m a real purist about using extract rather than essence in the case of vanilla, but in this cake, I prefer coffee essence (which is actually mostly chicory) to real coffee.

Makes 2 cakes each serving 8

225g (8oz) soft butter

225g (8oz) caster sugar

4 organic eggs

225g (8oz) plain white flour, preferably unbleached

1 teaspoon baking powder

scant 2 tablespoons Irel or Camp coffee essence

 

Coffee Butter Cream

 

150g (6oz) butter

330g (12oz) icing sugar, sieved

3–6 teaspoons Irel or Camp coffee essence

　

 

To Decorate

 

toasted hazelnuts or walnut halves

2 x 20cm (8in) round sandwich tins

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas mark 4.

Line the base of the tins with circles of greaseproof or silicone paper. Brush the bottom and sides with melted butter and dust lightly with flour.

Beat the soft butter with a wooden spoon, add the caster sugar and whisk until pale in colour and light in texture. Whisk the eggs. Add to the mixture, bit by bit, whisking well between each addition.

Sieve the flour with the baking powder and stir gently into the cake mixture. Finally, add in the coffee essence and mix thoroughly.

Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared sandwich tins and bake for 30 minutes. When the cakes are cooked, the centre will be firm and springy and the edges will have shrunk from the sides of the tins. Leave to rest in the tins for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Remove the greaseproof paper from the base, and then flip over so the top of the cakes don’t get marked by the wire rack. Leave the cakes to cool on the wire rack.

To make the coffee butter cream, whisk the butter with the sieved icing sugar and add the coffee essence. Continue to whisk until light and fluffy.

When cold, divide the coffee butter cream evenly and ice the top and sides of the cake, pipe with a few rosettes of coffee butter cream around and on top of each cake. Decorate with the toasted hazelnuts or walnut halves.

Hazelnut Chocolate Brownies

Everyone has their own favourite brownie recipe and indeed we have several – this is definitely one of the greats.

Makes 9 generous brownies.

275g (10oz) chocolate

275g (10oz) butter

5 organic eggs

350g (12oz) granulated sugar

175g (6oz) self-raising flour

110g (4oz) chopped hazelnuts

cocoa powder, for dusting

deep tin 30 x 20 x 5cm (12 x 8 x 2in)

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/ gas mark 4. Line the tin with silicone paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a Pyrex bowl over hot but not simmering water. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture becomes a light mousse. Gradually add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mousse. Fold the flour into this mixture. Finally add the chopped hazelnuts. Spoon into the prepared tin, smooth the surface and cook in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes. The centre will be slightly wobbly. Leave to sit in the tin to cool and cover the tin with a large rectangular plate or tray.

When set, turn out by flipping the tin carefully. Peel off the silicone paper. Place another tray on top of the brownies to turn them right way up. Cut into squares, dust with cocoa and serve.

Homemade Lemonade and Variations 

If you keep some chilled ‘stock syrup’ made up in your fridge homemade lemonade is simple to make. They contain no preservatives so they should be served within a few hours of being made. Many different types of citrus fruit may be used.

 

Stock Syrup

 

Makes 825ml (28fl ozs)

 

450g (1 lb) sugar

600ml (1 pint) water

To make the stock syrup: Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes then allow it to cool. Store in the fridge until needed. This quantity is enough for several batches of lemonade.

 

 

 

Homemade Lemonade

 

Best enjoyed on the day it’s made.

 

Serves 10-12

6 lemons.

350ml (12fl oz) approx. syrup

1.4L (2 1/2 pint) approx. still or sparkling water

lots of ice

 

 

Garnish

 

sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm

 

Juice the lemons and mix with the stock syrup, add water to taste. Add ice, garnish with sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm and serve.

 

 

Orange and Lemonade

 

4 lemons

2 orange

350ml (12fl oz) approx. syrup

1.4L (2 1/2 pints) approx. water

 

 

Garnish

 

sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm

 

Juice the fruit and mix with the stock syrup, add water to taste. Add ice, garnish with sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm and serve.

 

 

Limeade

 

5 limes

750ml (1 1/4 pint) water

300ml (10fl oz) stock syrup

ice cubes

 

Garnish

 

sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm

 

Make and serve as above. Taste and add more water if necessary.

 

Ruby Grapefruit Lemonade

 

freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons

freshly squeezed juice of 4 ruby grapefruit

450ml (16floz) stock syrup

water or sparkling water to taste

Juice the fruit, add the syrup and add water or sparkling water to taste.

Serve chilled with mint ice cubes.

 

　

Hottips

 

Fresh blackcurrants are difficult to come by

unless you grow your own. There are only six commercial blackcurrant growers in Ireland – all in Wexford – who export their berries so I was delighted to hear that Des Jeffares from Ballykelly Farms Wexford will now sell direct so you can stock up your freezer for the Winter. The quality is excellent. Des is a member of Good Food Ireland so you can out find more info about his blackcurrants at www.goodfoodireland.ie/ballykelly – or contact him directly 087-2867455.

Look out for Irish blueberries – they’ll be in the shops until early September so enjoy them while you can. John Seager at at Derryvilla Farms, Portarlington, Dublin sells fresh blueberries, contact: info@derryvillablueberries.com, 0578642882. Claire Phelan from Rose Cottage Fruit Farm in Co Laois sells blueberries at the following farmers markets… Mahon Point on Thursdays, Midleton and Limerick Milk Market on Saturdays and directly from their farm – contact Claire on 087-2700121 (See my article next week for Blueberry and Cinnamon Sugar Slice recipe)

Stop the Food Waste Campaign at the EPA has done research that proves that 50% of the lettuce we buy ends up in the bin – they offer this advice to make your lettuce last longer. “Make sure to take the lettuce out of the bag when you buy it and wash it as soon as possible. Spin in a salad spinner and store in the fridge still in the spinner. Leave a small amount of water in the bottom of the spinner and top up if needed. This keeps the lettuce fresh, it lasts longer and you have a ready supply of washed lettuce.”