The highlight of this past week was the visit of the founder of Slow Food International, Carlo Petrini to Ireland.
This organisation which was officially launched in 1986 could be described as the Greenpeace of gastronomy – the antidote to the fast food culture which threatens to engulf us. Slow Food defends biodiversity, encourages and supports artisan food production and safeguards foods and food cultures in danger of extinction. Membership is growing worldwide, now over 100,000 in 104 countries around the globe. 
What type of person joins what may sound like a very esoteric organisation – a very diverse group – people who have a real concern about what’s happening to food production and who feel very strongly that we should have choice. After all, those of us who want our food processed, convenient and wrapped in plastic, are very well provided for – every shop and supermarket in the country offers a wide and sometimes mesmerising choice. However, the growing number of people who are seeking out local food in season find it much more of a challenge to locate, unless there is a Country Market or Farmers’ Market in the area. A terrifying number of varieties have already been lost or are in danger of extinction. Old varieties of fruit and vegetables, traditional and rare breeds of animal, not considered to be of commercial value, are also under threat. Slow Food has done much to highlight the problem and the importance of action on a national and international scale through its various projects, Presidia, Arc of Taste, Slow Food Awards, Salone del Gusto….
The latter, the largest artisan food fair in the world is held in Turin every second year. From 21-24 October 2004, Slow Food will bring 5,000 farmers and food producers from all over the world to Terra Madre in Turin, so they can meet and share concerns and solutions for a sustainable future, and thereby build a global network of food ‘communities’. Can you imagine the logistics of arranging an event like that?
During Carlo Petrini’s week long visit he met with Minister for Agriculture and Food, Joe Walsh, Bord Bia, UCC, food historians, farmers and fishermen, artisan food producers, chefs, fish smokers, butchers, teachers and Slow Food members. 
Carlo Petrini’s primary purpose in coming to Ireland on this occasion was to announce details of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo and Colorno in Italy. 
This new project, the first in the world, will help to create a new type of professional: an expert who is able to lead and elevate the quality of production, to teach others how to taste, to guide the market, and to communicate about and promote foods and beverages. “The University will provide those with an interest in understanding food with a humanistic, sensory approach, knowledge of traditional and industrial processes, and an appreciation of cooking and gastronomic tourism. In a world where ‘specialities’ and ‘typical local products’ are increasingly important and are raising the standards of the market, gastronomes will be able to communicate a wealth of knowledge, in advising new businesses, designing distribution outlets and advising the restaurant trade. Though undervalued in the past, this profession is destined to become a true interpreter of food culture.”
At a dinner at Ballymaloe House, Rory O’Connell’s menu reflected an abundance of wonderful Irish produce and the local foods of the area. Among the many delicious dishes served were, Carpaccio of Beef with Horseradish Mayonnaise, Ballymaloe Potted Crab, Nora Aherne’s Traditional Duck with Sage and Onion Stuffing, Carrigeen Moss Pudding with new season’s Rhubarb Compote. 

Crab Pate with Cucumber and Dill Salad

This pate which is made in a flash once you have the crab meat to hand can be served in lots of different ways. We make it into a cylinder and roll it in chopped parsley for extra posh!

Serves 8-10 as a starter

5 ozs (140 g) mixed brown and white cooked crab meat

4 ozs (110 g) softened butter
1-2 teaspoons parsley, finely chopped
1 medium clove garlic, crushed 
Few grinds of black pepper
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Tomato chutney or Ballymaloe Tomato Relish (optional)

Coating
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

To Serve
Cucumber Salad

Garnish
Flat parsley, fennel or chervil
Fennel or chive flowers, if available

Mix all ingredients (except the parsley for coating) together in a bowl or , better still, whizz them in a food processor. Taste carefully and continue to season until you are happy with the flavour: it may need a little more lemon juice or crushed garlic. 

Form the pate into a cylinder, roll up in greaseproof paper, twist the ends like a Christmas cracker and chill until almost firm.
Spread one-quarter sheet of greaseproof paper out on the work top, sprinkle the chopped parsley over the paper, unwrap the pate and roll it in the parsley so that the surface is evenly coated. Wrap it up again and refrigerate until needed. 
Make the cucumber salad
To serve, arrange a circle of cucumber slices on individual white plates and put one or more slices of pate (depending on the size of the roll) in the centre o of each. Garnish with flat parsley, fennel or chervil and fennel or chive flowers if available. Serve with crusty white bread or hot toast.

Cucumber and Dill Salad

1 medium cucumber

Salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar
1-2 dessertspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fennel (herb) or 2 teaspoon fresh dill

Finely slice the cucumber (leave peel on if you like it). Sprinkle with wine vinegar and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a good pinch of sugar. Stir in the snipped fennel and taste.

Carpaccio with Rocket and Parmesan

Carpaccio is the ultimate recipe to make a little beef go a very long way. This sophisticated dish was invented in Harry’s Bar in Venice and named for Carpaccio, the great 15th century Venetian painter. There are many variations and this one is inspired by a version served at the Cipriani Hotel.
Serves 12

1 lb (450g) fillet of beef, preferably Aberdeen Angus (fresh not frozen)
Fresh rocket or arugula leaves - about 5 per person depending on the size
6-7 very thin slivers Parmesan cheese per person (Parmigiano Reggiano is best) 
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra virgin olive oil or Mustard Sauce (see below)

Mustard sauce

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
3 pint (150ml) light olive oil or sunflower oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish
1 generous teaspoon chopped parsley
1 generous teaspoon chopped tarragon

If you are using Mustard Sauce, make it first. Put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the mustard, sugar and wine vinegar and mix well. Whisk in the oil gradually as though you were making Mayonnaise. Finally, add the grated horseradish, chopped parsley and tarragon. Taste and season if necessary.
Chill the meat. Slice the beef fillet with a very sharp knife as thinly as possible. Place each slice on a piece of oiled cling film, cover with another piece of oiled cling film. Roll gently with a rolling pin until almost transparent and double in size. Peel the cling film off the top, invert the meat on to a chilled plate, and gently peel away the other layer of clingfilm. 
Arrange the rocket leaves on top of the beef and scatter with very thin slivers of Parmesan over the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle with the Mustard Sauce or with very best extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

Note: Rocket and Parmesan Salad served without the carpaccio but drizzled with extra virgin olive oil is a very fashionable starter and very addictive it is too.

Nora Aherne’s Roast Stuffed Duck with Bramley Apple Sauce 

Serves 4

1 free range Duck 4 lbs (1.8kg) approx.

Sage and Onion Stuffing 
1½ ozs (45g) butter
3 ozs (85g) onion, finely chopped
1 tablesp. sage, freshly chopped
3½ ozs (100g) soft white breadcrumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Stock 
Neck and giblets from duck
Bouquet garni
1 onion
1 carrot, sliced
2-3 peppercorns

Bramley Apple Sauce 
1 lb (450g) cooking apples, (Bramley Seedling)
1-2 dessertsp. water
2 ozs (55g) sugar approx. depending on tartness of the apples


To make the stock, put the neck, gizzard, heart and any other trimmings into a saucepan with 1 medium carrot cut in slices and the onion cut in quarters. Add a bouquet garni of parsley stalks, small stalk of celery and a sprig of thyme. Cover with cold water and add 2 or 3 peppercorns but no salt.
Bring slowly to the boil and simmer for 2-3 hours. This will make a delicious stock which will be the basis of the gravy. Meanwhile, singe the duck and make the stuffing.
To make the stuffing, sweat the onion on a gentle heat for 5-10 minutes until soft but not coloured, add the breadcrumbs and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Unless you plan to cook the duck immediately allow the stuffing to get cold.
When the stuffing is quite cold, season the cavity of the duck and spoon in the stuffing. Truss the duck loosely.
Roast in a moderate oven 180C/350F/regulo 4 for 1½ hours approx. When the duck is cooked remove to a serving dish, allow to rest while you make the gravy. Degrease the cooking juices (keep the duck fat for roast or sauté potatoes). Add stock to the juices in the roasting pan, bring to the boil, taste and season if necessary. Strain gravy into a sauceboat and serve with the duck.

Bramley Apple Sauce

Peel, quarter and core the apples, cut pieces in two and put in a stainless steel or cast iron saucepan, with the sugar and water, cover and put over a low heat, as soon as the apple has broken down, stir and taste for sweetness. Serve warm with the duck and gravy.

Carageen Moss Pudding

Carageen Moss is a seaweed which can be gathered off the south and west coasts of Ireland. It is rich in iodine and trace elements and is full of natural gelatine. Carageen means 'little rock' in Irish.

Serves 4-6

¼ oz (8g) cleaned, well dried Carrageen Moss (1 semi-closed fistful)
1½ pints (900ml)
1 tablesp. castor sugar
1 egg, preferably free range
½ teasp. pure vanilla essence or a vanilla pod

Soak the carageen in tepid water for 10 minutes. Strain off the water and put the carageen into a saucepan with milk and vanilla pod if used. Bring to the boil and simmer very gently with the lid on for 20 minutes. At that point and not before separate the egg, put the yolk into a bowl, add the sugar and vanilla essence and whisk together for a few seconds, then pour the milk and carageen moss through a strainer onto the egg yolk mixture whisking all the time. The carageen will now be swollen and exuding jelly. Rub all this jelly through the strainer and whisk this also into the milk with the sugar, egg yolk and vanilla essence if used. Test for a set in a saucer as one would with gelatine. Whisk the egg white stiffly and fold or fluff it in gently. It will rise to make a fluffy top. Serve chilled with soft brown sugar and cream and or with a fruit compote eg. poached rhubarb.

Rhubarb Compote

Serves 4

1 lb (450g) red rhubarb, eg. Timperley early
16 fl. ozs (scant 450ml) stock syrup

Cut the rhubarb into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces. Put the cold syrup into a stainless steel saucepan, add the rhubarb, cover, bring to the boil and simmer for just 2 minutes (no longer or it will dissolve into a mush). Turn off the heat and leave the rhubarb in the saucepan until cool.

Stock Syrup
Stock syrup is the basis of homemade lemonade, fruit salad and all our compotes. We sometimes flavour it with sweet geranium elderflower, mint or verbena leaves.

1 lb (450g) sugar
1 pint (600ml) water

Dissolve the sugar in the water* and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then allow to cool. Store in the fridge until needed.
*Add flavourings at this point if using.

Rhubarb and Banana Compôte

Slice 1 or 2 bananas into the cold compôte.

Foolproof Food

Rhubarb and Ginger Jam

Makes 8 x 450g (1 lb) jars

This delicious jam should be made when rhubarb is in full season and not yet thick and tough.

1.8kg (4 lb) trimmed rhubarb 
1.8kg (4 lb) granulated sugar
grated rind and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons
30-50g (1-2oz) bruised fresh ginger
50g (2oz) chopped preserved stem ginger in syrup (optional)

Wipe the rhubarb and cut into 2.5cm (1inch) pieces. Put it in a large bowl layered with the sugar, add the lemon rind and juice. Leave to stand overnight. Next day put into a wide stainless steel saucepan, add the bruised ginger tied in a muslin bag, stirring all the time over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved, then boil rapidly until the jam sets about 10 minutes. Remove the bag of ginger and then pour the jam into hot clean jars, cover and store in a dry airy cupboard. 
If you wish 50g (2oz) chopped preserved stem ginger may be added or stirred in at the end of cooking time.

Hot Tips

Slow Food Ireland has been active throughout its 4 years, for details of how to become a member and join a convivium, check out – www.slowfoodireland.com 

For details of the University of Gastronomic Science and courses in its two locations, Pollenzo and Colorno, visit www.unisg.it  

A date for your diary The Salone del Gusto in Turin from 21-24 October 2004. www.slowfood.com 

This month The Ecologist Magazine is entirely dedicated to Slow Food – entitled ‘Slow Food – a movement to save the world’

Now is seed planting time – for a wide variety of traditional varieties of vegetable seeds and details of their gardening workshops, contact Irish Seed Saver Association, Capparoe, Scarriff, Co Clare, tel 061-921866 info@irishseedsavers.ie  www.irishseedsavers.ie

I’m here in Valvona & Crolla, the legendary Italian deli in Elm Row in Edinburgh, a quick visit to do a cookery demonstration for their customers. The shop is piled high, when I say high I mean from floor to ceiling with delectable products, the counter is bulging with delicious cheeses, salads and cured meats, Valvona & Crolla has won the IWC (International Wine Challenge) Scottish Wine Merchant of the Year Award, five times. As you make your way, you pass their bread shelves – unbearably tempting, crammed with crusty loaves, panini, croissants, rolls, focaccia, ciabatta. The fruit and vegetable section is stacked with really ripe flavourful produce – wow how can they get sweet and juicy tomatoes in March, owner and food writer Mary Contini explained that in Sardinia they have developed a variety for Winter called Camone, an almost green tomato with a red blush which has a sweet taste and delicious almost crunchy texture. Pachino from Sicily, is another variety to ask for – these are cherry tomatoes on the vine,and the ones I tasted were ripe, sweet and gorgeous, so now we know what to ask for in our shops instead of the pale, bitter, tasteless tennis balls that pass for tomatoes during the winter months. Apart from all these temptations for a wandering cook, there were lots of enticing presents for Mothers’ Day – choccies, mugs, bowls, egg cups and foodie presents, to show our appreciation to our long-suffering Mums on their special day.
Last year I wrote a piece aimed at younger readers to encourage them to lay a pretty tray and bring breakfast in bed to Mum on Mothers’ Day. I suggested a simple meal for teenagers to cook to show their appreciation and have fun cooking. Presents are all very fine, a bunch of flowers and some yummy choccies are always welcome, but what really says ‘I love you’ is putting in some real time and effort. Particularly for those of us with older parents, time is the greatest gift we can give – nowadays so many of us have got into the habit, and a habit it can be, of always being busy – always something more important than taking an afternoon or a weekend off to spend some special uninterrupted time with our parents who have given us so much. As the years speed by we take it for granted that they will always be there, failing to realise that at any moment things can change utterly – an accident, sudden ill-health and we are left with a feeling of regret that we didn’t spend more time together.
So lets make this a very special Mothers’ Day and even if cooking a special meal is not your scene, we can give the gift of time. 

Carpaccio of Smoked Salmon with Avocado, Red Onion , Dill and Horseradish Cream
Serves 8

6-8 ozs (170g-225g) Irish smoked salmon very thinly sliced
1 avocado depending on size
1 small red onion finely diced
1 tablesp. chives
1 tablesp. dill
1 tablesp. chervil or flat parsley

Horseradish Cream

12-3 tablesp. grated horseradish
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 teaspoon mustard
3 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
8 fl ozs (250 ml) barely whipped cream

First make the Horseradish Cream

Scrub the horseradish root well, peel and grate on a ‘slivery grater’. Put the grated horseradish into a bowl with the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar. Fold in the barely whipped cream but do not overmix or the sauce will curdle. There will be more than enough for this recipe, but save the rest for another dish. It keeps for 2-3 days: cover so that it doesn=t pick up flavours in the fridge.
To serve:
Arrange the thinly sliced smoked salmon in a single layer over the base of four large plates. Peel and cut the avocado into a ¼ inch (5mm)dice. Drizzle some Horseradish Cream over the salmon then a sprinkle of avocado and red onion dice.
Garnish with snipped chives, chopped dill and chervil or flat parsley sprigs.
Finally a little freshly cracked pepper.
Serve with crusty brown yeast bread.

Carbonnade of Pork or chicken with mushrooms

A quick and delicious recipe, the same formula can be used for fillet steak or chicken breast but be careful not to overcook the meat. If you haven't got any wine to hand just add a little more stock.

2 lbs (900g) pork fillet or chicken, naturally reared if available
1-2 tablesp. olive or sunflower oil or a little butter
4 ozs (110g) onion, finely chopped
2½ fl ozs (63ml) dry white wine
¼ pint (150ml) home made chicken stock
8 ozs (225g) mushrooms, sliced
½ pint (300ml) sour cream or light cream
fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablesp. chopped parsley

Serves 6-8

Garnish: 6-8 heart-shaped croutons of white bread fried in clarified butter or olive oil.

Slice the pork into slices about one-third inch thick. Pour a little oil into a very hot frying pan, saute the pieces of pork a few at a time until brown on both sides.
Remove to a plate and keep warm, add a little more oil or butter and cook onions gently until soft and golden. Deglaze the pan with wine and bring to the boil, add the stock and boil again to reduce by a quarter. Meanwhile saute the sliced mushrooms in batches in a little butter and oil in a very hot frying pan, add to the pork, add the cream to the sauce, bring back to the boil, thicken with a little roux, add the cooked pork and mushrooms to the sauce and all the juices. Taste, add a little lemon juice and simmer gently for a couple of minutes. Dip the tip of the heart shaped croutons in the sauce and then into the chopped parsley, add the remainder of the parsley to the sauce, taste again and correct seasoning if necessary. Pour into a hot serving dish and garnish with the crisp croutons. 

Serve with fluffy herbed potatoes, orzo, rice or home-made noodles

Foolproof Food

Fluffy Herbed Potatoes

Serves 4

2 lbs (900g) unpeeled potatoes, preferably Golden Wonders or Kerr's Pinks
½ pint (300ml) creamy milk
1-2 egg whites or 1 whole egg and 1 egg white
1-2 ozs (30-55g) butter
2 tablesp. freshly chopped herbs eg. parsley, chives, thyme, lemon balm

Scrub the potatoes well. Put them into a saucepan of cold water, add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil. When the potatoes are about half cooked, 15 minutes approx. for 'old' potatoes, strain off two-thirds of the water, replace the lid on the saucepan, put on to a gentle heat and allow the potatoes to steam until they are cooked. Peel immediately by just pulling off the skins, so you have as little waste as possible, mash while hot (see below). (If you have a large quantity, put the potatoes into the bowl of a food mixer and beat with the spade).
While the potatoes are being peeled, bring about ½ pint (300ml) of milk to the boil. Beat the egg whites into the hot mashed potatoes, and add enough boiling creamy milk to mix to a soft light consistency suitable for piping, add the herbs and then beat in the butter, the amount depending on how rich you like your potatoes. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Note: If the potatoes are not peeled and mashed while hot and if the boiling milk is not added immediately, the potato will be lumpy and gluey. 
Back to Top
Winter Green Salad with Cider Vinaigrette Dressing 

For this salad, use a selection of winter lettuces and salad leaves, e.g. Butterhead, Iceberg, Raddichio, Endive, Chicory, Watercress, Buckler leaf, Sorrel, Rocket leaves and Winter Purslane Mysticana. Tips of purple sprouting broccoli are also delicious and if you feel like something more robust, use some finely-shredded Savoy cabbage and maybe a few shreds of red cabbage also. 

Cider Vinaigrette Dressing

Makes about ¾ pint

350g (12ozs) ozs virgin olive oil
90ml/3fl ozs cider vinegar
1 tablespoon moutarde de Meaux or Lakeshore Mustard with honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 crushed clove garlic
1 teaspoon pure honey

Wash and dry very carefully the lettuces, salad leaves and flowers. Tear into bite sized pieces and put into a deep salad bowl. Cover with cling-film and refrigerate, if not to be served immediately.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Mix all the ingredients together, shake and whisk well before use. Just before serving, toss the leaves with a little dressing – just enough to make the leaves glisten. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Meringue with Chocolate and Rum Cream and Chocolate Wafers

Serves 6

2 egg whites 
4½ ozs (125 g) icing sugar
2 rounded teaspoons cocoa powder

Filling 
½ pt of softly whipped cream or Chocolate and Rum Cream 

Chocolate and Rum Cream
1 oz (30 g) best quality dark chocolate
½ oz (15 g) unsweetened chocolate
½ pint (300 ml) softly whipped cream
1 tablespoon Jamaican rum
1 tablespoon cream

Chocolate Wafers
2 ozs (55g) best-quality dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/regulo 2

Mark two 7½ inches (19 cm) circles on silicone paper on a prepared baking sheet.

Check that the bowl is dry, spotlessly clean and free of grease. Put the egg whites into the bowl and add 4 ozs (110 g) icing sugar all at once; whisk until the mixture forms stiff, dry peaks, 10 minutes approx. Sieve together the cocoa and the remaining ½ oz (15 g) icing sugar and fold in very gently. Spread and bake immediately in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until just crisp. Allow to get completely cold then peel off the paper. 
Next make the chocolate wafers
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water. Stir until quite smooth. Spread on a flat piece of heavy, white notepaper or light card. Put into a cold place until stiff enough to cut in square or diamond shapes.

Meanwhile make the whipped cream or the Chocolate and Rum Cream.
Very gently melt the chocolate with the rum, and 1 tablespoon of cream in a pyrex bowl over barely simmering water. Cool and then fold the mixture into the softly whipped cream; don’t stir too much or it may curdle.
Sandwich the two meringue discs together with whipped cream or Chocolate and Rum Cream and decorate with chocolate wafers.

Alternatively just drizzle melted chocolate over the top.

Top Tips

Congratulations to Denis Cotter of Cork’s Café Paradiso on winning the Best Vegetarian Book in the World award for ‘Paradiso Seasons’, at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards for books published in 2003. Denis was in Barcelona to accept the award last month, the book (published by Atrium Press Cork) fought off stiff competition from publishing houses around the world. 

The Irish Hotel and Catering Institute (IHCI) are currently running Regional Seminars around the country on the topic of Waste Management, for details e-mail admin@ihci.ie  or Tel. 01-298 8850

The Slow Food Ireland Weekend 04 in Kenmare 26-28 March will offer great opportunities for producers to sell and promote their foods through tastings and markets – The market will be held at Market St, Kenmare on Sunday 28th March, if you would like to participate contact Fiona Corbett at 086-8188988 or Fiona@sheridanscheesemongers.com  
Tastings will be held in the Slow Food Marquee, The Park, Kenmare on Friday & Saturday 26 & 27th – for details on this and any other aspects of the weekend, contact Clodagh McKenna at 023-52977 or clodaghmckenna@eircom.net

Aer Lingus – the new low fares airline are now offering such tempting deals to New York that growing numbers are whizzing over to the Big Apple just for the weekend. The low dollar makes it very tempting to indulge in a little retail therapy. New York – the thrilling city that never sleeps has endless temptation for everyone, art lovers, theatre buffs, museum aficionados and of course gourmands.
The restaurant scene is overwhelming and one could doubtless eat at a different restaurant, every day for not just months, but years.
Many of the hottest restaurants at present are owned by Mario Batali and Jo Bastianich. I couldn’t believe my luck this year when I made a chance phone call from the taxi on my way in from Kennedy and managed to get a table at Babbo. The Zagat Guide gives it a cool 27 out 0f 30 for “pushing the culinary envelope” with their robust adventurous Italian food. They go on to remark that getting a table is akin to winning the ‘powerball lottery’, Mario does lots of his own cured meats – food was terrific – as good as a trip to Rome.
Its almost as difficult to swing a table at its sister restaurant Lupa. Here Jason Denton joins the other two and the robust Italian food again draws throngs of people.
Jason has also opened Inoteca 98 Rivington Street, a wine bar with 300 wines and great panini, salads and dolce on the East side – a larger version of Ino my fave breakfast spot in New York – I dream about their legendary truffled egg dish.
Tom Colicchio, another hot shot chef is still doing brilliantly at Craft, a restaurant which serves the food family style, down the centre of the table, I ate there on my last trip but couldn’t get a table for love or money this time. So I ate in the new venture next door, !Witchcraft, a soup and sandwich bar where I ate a memorable corned beef, sauerkraut and Gruyere toasted panini. Balthazar – Keith McNally’s buzzy Soho brasserie, remains an energising spot to have breakfast, lunch, dinner or a post midnight bite.
For Latino, book a table at Calle Ocho and Nobu for exquisite Japanese food and almost guaranteed celebrity sighting.
Food shops to check out are Dean & Deluca, Zabars, Balduccis, Citarella, Wholefoods Supermarket, E.A.T. and Eli’s Vinegar Factory. Don’t miss the Carnegie Deli for skyscraper sized sandwiches and crusty service. For cheese lovers, Artisanal Cheese Centre, 500W 37th Street where 200-250 cheeses are aged and matured to the peak of perfection is also a must. Murray’s cheese shop in the village is another gem.
My newest discovery was The Spotted Pig in 314 West 11th Street, open for just four weeks. Here, April Bloomfield late of River Café, cooked the best meal of this visit. This new arrival doesn’t take bookings so try to make by 6pm if you are averse to queuing. The River Café Chocolate Nemesis was, dare I say it, almost more sublime than the original.
These are just a few places to whet your appetite – best thing is to buy a Zagats’ restaurant guide and a copy of New York Magazine when you arrive.
Cookbook lovers shouldn’t miss Kitchen Arts and Letters, 1435 Lexington, where Nat Waxman has over 13,000 food and wine books. Kitchen shops are many and varied, most legendary is Bridge on
Seek out Broadway Panhandlers, where I recently did a cookery demonstration, has a mouth watering selection of kitchen gadgets etc. and finally, keen cooks should contact De Gustibus at Macy’s to check out the schedule of the cookery school which includes a glass of bubbly and wine to pair with each course.
Finally, I just have a few lines to mention the Farmers Market down in Union Square – not to be missed, particularly on Saturday – that’s just a little bite of the Big Apple.

Shrimp in Spiced Phyllo with Tomato Chutney

(From ‘Flavor’ by Rocky Dispirito, published by Hyperion, New York, 2003)

4 tablespoons (½ stick/2oz) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot
¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
3 cup chopped fresh coriander
3 teaspoon salt
10 hazelnuts, shelled
4 sheets phyllo (filo) dough
2 teaspoons garam masala
12 medium raw shrimps, shelled and deveined


Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add ginger and shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, lime juice, coriander, and salt, and cook until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Taste the chutney and add more lime juice or salt if desired. (The chutney can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated.)
Preheat oven to 375F/190C/ mark 5.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add hazelnuts and cook, shaking pan continuously until they look and smell toasted. Use a kitchen towel to gently rub skins off. Finely grind cooked nuts.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Roll out a sheet of phyllo onto a clean counter, and brush with half the melted butter. Keep phyllo pile covered with a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Sprinkle with half the garam masala and half the ground nuts. Place second phyllo sheet squarely over the first. Brush with butter, saving a bit to be used later, and sprinkle with remaining garam masala and hazelnuts. Cut phyllo stack crosswise into 8 equal strips. (The strips should measure 1-2 inches in width.) Place a shrimp at the end of a strip and roll it up, changing the direction as necessary to totally envelop the shrimp. Repeat with remaining shrimp, and place rolls seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Dab tops of rolls with butter. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.
Dollop some chutney over each roll and serve right away.

Bittersweet Chocolate Souffle 

Payard Bistro on New York’s Upper East Side – from The New York Restaurant Cookbook – published by Rizzoli, New York, 2003

Serves 8

6 tablesp. soft unsalted butter
â…“ cup plus 2 tablesp. sugar
7 ozs high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablesp. crème fraiche
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature
3 egg whites, at room temperature
½ teasp. cream of tartar
unsweetened whipped cream, optional

Using about 1½ tablespoons of butter, generously brush the insides of 8 (6 ounce) ramekins with butter. Place them in the freezer and chill for 15 minutes. Brush with another 1½ tablespoons of butter. (Preparing the ramekins should use 3 tablespoons of the butter). Use the 2 tablespoons of sugar to coat the insides of the ramekins. Tap out any excess. Place the ramekins in the refrigerator.
Place remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and the chocolate in a 1 quart metal bowl over simmering water in a saucepan, or in the top of a double boiler. Melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Whisk in the crème fraiche. Transfer the mixture to a 4-quart bowl and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk the 4 egg yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture. Using an electric mixer, beat the 7 egg whites at low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat at medium speed until softly peaked. Gradually add the remaining â…“ cup sugar and beat at medium-high speed until stiffly peaked but still glossy. Using a large rubber spatula, fold a scoop of the beaten whites thoroughly into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining whites.

Raspberry Crostada

By Eli Zabar from ‘The New York Restaurant Cookbook’

Serves 12

3 cups all purpose flour, plus additional for kneading and rolling
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
1½ cups (3 sticks (1 stick =3½ oz) cold unsalted butter, diced
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1½ cups good raspberry jam
1½ pints fresh raspberries
sifted confectioners’ (icing) sugar

whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream, optional

Place the flour, salt and granulated sugar in a food processor. Pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter and pulse just until the mixture is crumbly. Lightly beat 2 of the egg yolks and the whole egg together. Add them to the food processor, then pulse until a dough starts to form. If the mixture is too dry to gather into a ball, sprinkle with a little cold water and pulse again. Briefly knead the dough, flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate it at least an hour. 
Roll out the dough to a thickness of ⅛ inch on a floured surface. Cut as many 5-inch diameter circles as you can. The first roll should yield about 9 circles. Reroll your scraps and you’ll be able to cut out 3 more.
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment.
Spread 2 tablespoons of the jam in the centre of each pastry circle, leaving a ½ inch border. Fold the border over, pleating it as you go, so each crostada has a pastry border and a jam centre. Beat the remaining egg yolk with a tablespoon of water and brush this wash on the pastry edges. With a wide, flat spatula, arrange the crostadas on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200C/mark6). Place the crostadas in the oven and bake until they’re golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer the pastries from the pan to a rack to cool. Arrange fresh raspberries over the jam, standing them closely at attention. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream alongside? Why not!


Hot Tips

New York Restaurants -
Babbo – 110 Waverly Place (between MacDougal St & 6th Ave.) 212 777 0303
Lupa – 170 Thompson St. (bet. Bleecker & Houston Sts.) 212 982 5089
Inoteca – 98 Rivington St. Ino – 21 Bedford St. (bet. Downing St & 6th Ave.) 212 989 5769
Craft – 43 E. 19th St. (btw. B’way & Park Ave.S.) 212 780 0880 & !Witchcraft next door
Balthazar – 80 Spring St. (bet. B’way & Crosby St.) 212 965 1414
Calle Ocho 446 Columbus Ave (bet 81st & 82nd Sts) 212 873 5025
Nobu – 105 Hudson St. (bet. Franklin & N. Moore Sts) 212 334 4445
The Spotted Pig – 314 West 11th St.


Nationwide Search for Ireland’s Top Young Restaurant Manager – leading wine merchant Grants of Ireland, recently called on restaurant visitors across Ireland to nominate their favourite young restaurant manager for the Rosemount Young Restaurant Manager of the Year Award 2004. Nomination forms can be found in the March edition of Food & Wine magazine and from Grants of Ireland Limited directly. Tel 01-6304100. Deadline for nominations is Friday 30th April. So nominate your favourite young professional young restaurant manager who goes that extra mile to ensure you enjoy the best dining experience and makes you want to go back again, and again. First prize will include an all-expenses paid trip for 2 to Australia.

Cooking for special occasions – 
We are regularly asked for recipes for special occasions, Confirmation, First Communion, Christenings, Weddings, Birthdays – so we are offering a 2½ day course called ‘Cooking for Special Occasions’ – 28-30th April 2004. Tel. 021-4646785

Foolproof Food

Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil Stacks

Serves 4

I spotted these in a deli in New York. If you can find heirloom tomatoes they would look and taste even more delicious.

4 large very ripe but firm tomatoes
2 balls of Buffalo mozzarella
24 fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly cracked pepper

Slice each tomato into three thick slices, keep together.

Slice the mozzarella balls into 4 slices each. Cut a slice off the base of each tomato.
Place on a plate, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and a little sugar if not juicy enough.
Add a slice of mozzarella, top with a basil leaf, the next slice of tomato. Season as before and continue to sandwich until the tomato is re-assembled. Secure with a long cocktail stick or satay stick.
Serve with some crusty bread and a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Tapas is one of Spain’s more endearing rituals, a way to relax and unwind at the end of a hot day. It is not meant to be a meal as such, although a selection of tapas or a few racion (larger plate) can be quite filling.
A Tapa should be an individual portion on a small saucer, correctly, a new tapa comes with each new drink and dishes are not repeated.
A few little Tapas make a perfect hassle free starter for a dinner party or they can indeed be the main event – Lots of delicious bits to nibble – some salty and thirst provoking, others ‘absorbent’ – all easy to eat so they don’t interrupt conversation. In fact it would be difficult to think of a better way to entertain a few of ‘your mates’ to use ‘Jamie speak’,- just prepare a selection, uncork the Manzanilla or Rioja, turn on the flamenco music and chill.
Naturally enough much tipsy speculation has taken place as to the origin of Tapas but they are said to have originated in the taverns of Andalucia in Spain in the 18th Century when a piece of bread or a small dish of olives or salted almonds were placed on top of a glass of sherry to keep the flies out. The word simply means ‘to cover’.
The days of free tapas with drinks are almost gone, but the custom continues and is at last gathering momentum in other countries. In Spain people eat when they drink and drink when they eat. Drunkenness is rare, while spirits and decibles soar, excess alcohol is effectively absorbed by sporadic eating. In Spain it is customary to have a glass of wine or sherry and tapas after work, moving from one bar to another, sampling each establishment’s fare before moving on to the next, - a ‘Tapas crawl’. Everyone stands and guests spill out onto the streets in the most popular bars. The Tapeo is something spontaneous, convivial and informal. Ir de Pinchos means to make a tour of the bars to check out what temptations are on offer.
Even in the poshest bars non-natives may be surprised to find the floor by the counter littered with used paper napkins, cigarette butts, olive stones, even the odd mussel shell, all of which indicate the lip smacking enjoyment of the tapas. 
Tapas are now served all over Spain and a typical tapas bar might have 40-50 tapas ranging from simple bowls of salted almonds, little plates of Serrano ham on crusty bread, Manchega cheese with a sliver of membrillo, to kidneys in sherry, octopus, baby eels or grilled razor clams…. Nowadays some of the young chefs are developing ‘evolved tapas’. These new ’tapas maestros’ are using universal ingredients to come up with a selection of fusion tapas.
The idea of nibbling a variety of tasty morsels while you drink is an eminently good idea, one I wish the Irish Vintners Association would encourage their members to offer to their punters. Its lots of fun and so much more civilized than going out with the express intention of getting slammed as soon as possible.

Scrambled eggs with anchovy and red pepper on toast

Serves 4

100g (3½ oz) anchovies, (good quality in extra virgin olive oil) (In Spain they would use fresh anchovies)
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil for frying
1 small tin (100g/3½oz) red piquillo peppers, drained and cut into thin strips
2 eggs
4 thin slices of French bread, toasted 
1 small green pepper, cut into thin strips and quickly fried

Saute the garlic in a little olive oil, add the anchovies and gently heat through, add the red peppers. Beat the eggs and add to the mixture , stir until mixed together and the eggs are just set. 
Have the toast ready and immediately spread the mixture on the slices of toast. Make a criss-cross of green pepper strips on top. Serve.

Duck or Chicken Liver in Sherry
Serves 4

Duck’s liver has a smooth, light texture and a stronger flavour than chicken liver, but you may use chicken liver if you prefer – this makes a very rich tapa or starter.

225ml (8fl.oz) sweet Pedro Ximenez sherry
300g (10½ oz) fresh duck or chicken livers, cut into thin slices
salt to taste

To make the sherry sauce, cook the sherry in a non-reactive saucepan over a very high heat until it begins to foam. Reduce the liquid until it becomes thick and sticky, then remove from the heat.
Fry the slices of liver quickly in an ungreased pan for about 1 minute on each side, until sealed and lightly browned. Place on serving plate, pour on the sherry sauce, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Honey-baked Chicken Thighs

Serves 4

This tapa would make a tasty party starter at any time, but would be wonderful served with a dry white wine or dry sherry on a leisurely summer’s day

250g (9oz) liquid honey, buy a good locally produced honey
100g (3½ oz) butter
1 teasp. curry powder
1½ teasp. dry mustard powder
75ml (2½ fl.oz) tomato ketchup
8 chicken thighs

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

Make the honey sauce by combining all the ingredients except the chicken thighs in a saucepan. Mix well and bring to the boil, remove from the heat.
Put the chicken thighs in a single layer in a roasting tin, pour the sauce over and bake in the pre-heated oven for 35 minutes approx, or until the chicken is dark and glossy and cooked through. Serve immediately. 

Chorizo with fino sherry

This recipe comes from Sam Clark at London’s Moro restaurant.

Serves 4 

200g (7oz) semi-cured chorizo suitable for cooking 
75ml (3floz) fino sherry
a little olive oil

Cut chorizo in half lengthways and then into little bite-sized pieces.
Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add a few drops of olive oil. You don’t need very much as the chorizo will release its own. When the pan begins to smoke, add the chorizo and fry, turning quickly when one side is coloured. This will take a matter of seconds. When both sides are crispy, add the fino sherry, watch out for the hissing, and leave for a few seconds to burn off the alcohol. Transfer to a dish and enjoy immediately. You can grill these chorizo just as easily, but omit the sherry.

Country –style potatoes with chorizo and peppers

Serves 4

400g (14oz) potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
50g (1¾) oz unsalted butter
3 tablesp. olive oil for frying
125g (4½ oz) onion, thinly sliced
20g (¾ oz) red pepper, thinly sliced
20g (¾ oz) green pepper, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
30g (1oz) Serrano ham, cut into thin strips
50g (1¾ oz) chorizo, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) slices and lightly fried
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Fry the potatoes in the butter and 2 tablesp of olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Remove the potatoes and set aside in a bowl. In the same pan use the remaining fat to sauté the onion and peppers over a low heat, adding more oil if necessary. When the vegetables are tender, add the garlic and cook until it is golden. Add the vegetable mixture to the potatoes in the bowl, stir in the ham and chorizo and set aside.
Fry the eggs in a little oil until the white is firm. Add to the vegetable and meat mixture in the bowl and stir to break up the eggs. Combine all the ingredients, season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and tip on to a serving plate. 

Potato and Cod Stew

Serves 4

250g (9oz) salt cod 
4 leeks, cleaned and coarsely chopped
4 tablesp. olive oil
1kg (23 lb) potatoes, peeled and diced
1¼ litres (1¾ pint) fish stock
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper


Soak the cod in water for 2 days, changing the water a couple of times a day. Rinse. Flake the fish, leave behind any bones and skin.
Saute the leeks in olive oil in a large heavy pan until tender. Ad the diced potatoes and continue to sauté over a very low heat for 15 more minutes. Add the fish stock and tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the flakes of fish and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot in individual soup bowls

Mushroom and Cumin Salad

Ensalada de Setas

Serves 4

2floz (50ml) extra virgin olive oil
½ lb (225g) flat mushrooms or
¼ lb (110g) wild mushrooms, such as puffballs or oyster mushrooms
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon freshly ground cumin
salt
freshly ground pepper
a squeeze fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Leave the mushrooms whole if they are small; otherwise, cut in halves or quarters. 
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic and mushrooms, salt, freshly ground pepper and cumin. Toss on a high heat until cooked. Add a squeeze of lemon and the chopped parsley. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve warm or cold.

Garlic Shrimps

Gambas al Ajillo

Serves 4

4 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
2 dried red chilli peppers each broken into 3 pieces (discard the seeds)
1 bay leaf
Spanish Extra virgin olive oil
10 ozs (285g) shrimps or Dublin bay prawns, shelled
1 large or 4 individual fireproof ramekins

Divide the sliced garlic and chilli pepper more or less evenly between the 4 ramekins, add 5 tablespoons of olive oil and add 3 bay leaf to each . Heat over a medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle. Just as the garlic turns pale gold add the shrimps or prawns and cook stirring gently until just done, they will take 2-4 minutes depending on the size. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve immediately in the cooking pot or pots with lots of crusty bread to mop up the delicious oil and juices.

Foolproof Food

Baked Potatoes

– real comfort food

Baked potatoes are brilliant – filling and inexpensive. Buy the biggest you can find. There are lots and lots of toppings that are yummy and nutritious, even grated cheese with chopped parsley or chive is delicious. Look in your fridge and use your imagination!

8 x 8 ozs (225g) old potatoes, e.g. Golden Wonders or Kerrs Pinks
Sea salt and butter

Scrub the skins of the potatoes very well. Prick each potato 3 or 4 times and bake in a preheated hot oven 2001C/4001F/regulo 6 for 1 hour approx. depending on the size. When cooked, serve immediately while skins are still crisp and make sure to eat the skins with lots of butter and sea salt, Simply Delicious!
Suggested Stuffing for Baked Potatoes

Garlic mayonnaise with tuna fish
Fromage Blanc with smoked salmon and chives
Garlic butter with crispy rasher.
Mushroom a la crème

Hot Tips

For lots more Tapas ideas – enrol for the half-day Discovering Tapas Course at Ballymaloe Cookery School on 12th May – Tel. 021-4646785 www.cookingisfun.ie  
Night classes currently in progress, Wednesday nights 7.30pm – telephone to book place

Valentine’s Day is on the horizon and Bord Bia have lots of suggestions for romantic meals and special gifts availing of high quality food ingredients from Irish producers – chocolates, honey, ice-creams and shellfish are amongst the speciality Irish food products recommended by Bord Bia for this special occasion, check out www.bordbia.ie 

For lovers of Spanish food 
The Spanish Commercial Office in Dublin Tel 01-6616313, Fax 01-6610111, is a good source of information on Spanish food imported into Ireland – all the main supermarket chains and independents carry a good range of Spanish products – charcuterie – cheese- oils and even ready made tapas for those in a hurry. Specialist food shops carry charcuterie and cheese – Sheridans Cheesemongers import Spanish Cheese and Mitchells Wine Merchants carry fine wines from Spain including sherry. www.spaingourmetour.com  for lovers of Spain and its food.

Every now and then I come across a really special place, a gem so special that I have mixed feelings about revealing its whereabouts . Should I write about it or will I keep this discovery all to myself. What if gets unbearably busy, expands, loses its magic?
Pink washed Finca Buen Vino emerges out of the oak and chestnut woods at the end of a winding country avenue, in the middle of the Sierra de Aracena Nature Reserve in Andalucia in Spain. We had travelled since before dawn to get to Seville, rented a car, followed the map painstakingly and eventually turned off at the 95km sign on the road between Seville and Aracena.
We arrived close to midnight, almost too tired to eat, but the warm and spontaneous welcome revived us almost immediately. Jago and Sam carried our bags upstairs, a huge fire crackled on the hearth in the drawing room, Bucket and Teaser rubbed up against our legs. Would we like a whisky or how about a little bowl of soup? We had a delicious leek and potato soup with homemade breads, a selection of Spanish farmhouse cheeses – a Cabrales, Manchego, a creamy melting Torto wrapped in its traditional band of lace and and the famous Tetilla.
We arrived in the dark so couldn’t wait to draw back the curtains when we eventually woke the following morning. The view across the hills, thickly wooded with sweet chestnut and cork oak was spectacular, here and there are olive groves, walnut trees and orchards of plums, peaches and figs. Wild rocky escarpments are covered in cistus and tree heathers. Stone walled mule tracks meander from village to hamlet, perfect for walking or riding.
Breakfast is in the dining room or conservatory between 9-11, thick unctuous home-made yoghurt, local honey and crunchy granola, dried fruit, homemade jam and Seville orange marmalade, freshly squeezed orange juice, lots of hot toast and bacon with eggs from their own hens. The tea comes from India – the coffee a very good Spanish brand. 
After Sam and Jeannie Chesterton were married in Scotland, they left for Spain where Sam had been living in a remote candlelit cottage. Drawing on their experience of running shooting lodges in the Highlands, they wanted to make their home in a wild yet accessible place of great natural beauty; there to receive guests, enjoy conversation, good food and genial company, and to raise their family in unspoiled surroundings. After six months they discovered Finca Buen Vino set amid 150 acres of woodland in the Huelva area of South Western Spain and started to build their dream..
A happy combination of Latin and Anglo-Saxon influences, the house is filled with an eclectic mix of furniture, paintings, pottery and books. There are five bedrooms reserved for guests, all are charming and distinctive whether due to hand-painted walls, oriental hangings, a bath tub with a view or a fireplace.
The small, winter dining-room is pine-panelled and entirely candlelit, and dinner is eaten together with fellow guests. Sometimes neighbours come in to join the guests for dinner. There are huge log fires, and cosy rooms which make one feel at home. It was beautiful in December but I’ve been told that in Spring, the valley below the house is filled with white heathers, primroses and the song of nightingales. In summer one can dine late under the stars, while the crickets chirp and the jasmine unfurls its scent. 
Tapas are served approximately an hour before dinner, to keep the wolf at bay! Most weekend nights there is a village fiesta to go to nearby. Summer days can be spent beside the spectacular pool; with advance notice they can serve a barbecue lunch at the poolhouse. Drinks are available at the poolhouse or the conservatory. One can just help oneself and fill in the bar book and pay at the end of one’s stay.
For me the whole experience was even more exciting because I could at last learn first hand about the rearing of the famous black pigs and the production of Pata Negra, the finest cured ham in the world. The village of Jubugo, famous for the production of jamon, is just a few miles from Buen Vino, but there was no need to venture that far because Sam and Jeannie’s pigs were gorging on the acorns under the corn oaks. Sam cures the hams himself, slowly and painstakingly in the time-honoured way. We ate slivers of jamon with salted almonds, delicious Aracena potato crisps and ? for tapas every evening, never tiring of the exquisite flavour. 
We donned our walking boots and walked across the hills to Linares de Sierra, a little village with narrow cobbled streets and patterned stone mats outside every house. In the little central square the village ladies washed their clothes in a communal well, chatting contentedly in a wonderfully relaxed and convivial way, may not be everyone’s cup of tea but infinitely more sociable than flinging the laundry into the washing machine. We had a delicious simple lunch at the local Los Arieros restaurant. Several memorable dishes including ijado al aceite – very thinly sliced pigs liver, cooked with sweated onion and extra virgin olive oil, tiny vol au vents with black pudding mousse and fresh mint, succulent pigs trotters and quese del cabra con miel. The latter can be easily reproduced at home using a soft Irish goat cheese like Ardsallagh. 
We did another 6 hour walk through breathtakingly beautiful terrain. We stopped for lunch of jamon, salsichon and local cheese in the village pub in Cortelazor. This part of rural Spain is totally unspoilt, the people are friendly and welcoming – the food honest and delicious.
Sam and Jeannie also have 3 tranquil cottages in the wood, each with its own swimming pool, an idyllic spot for a peaceful holiday. Even though its deep in the countryside there’s lots to keep one occupied. If you crave urban adventure the city of Seville is just an hour and a quarter away – however be warned, you may become so relaxed that you might never venture out.
We eagerly looked forward to every meal – Jeannie is a wonderful cook, here are just some of her recipes. She and Sam offer a series of cooking classes at intervals throughout the year with trips to see the Sherry being made, the historic sights of Seville, cathedral, gardens, shops – check out their website for more tempting details of the itinerary. www.buenvino.com  

Buenvino Ginger Custards

Serves 8

250g (8ozs) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
900ml (1½ pints/33 cups) cream
4 ozs (110g) castor sugar
6 eggs
2 pieces preserved ginger, drained and diced

8 x 7.5cm (3 inch) ramekin dishes

Preheat oven to 140C/275F/ gas 1


Put the ginger into a saucepan, cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and then drain.
Put the cream and sugar and sliced ginger into a saucepan, bring to the shivery point. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for an hour or more. Separate the eggs, put the yolks in a bowl (keep the whites for another purpose).
Whisk the yolks in the bowl, strain the ginger-infused cream onto the egg yolks, whisking all the time.
Put the ramekins into a bain-marie and fill with the custard. Cook for approx. 40 minutes or until just set.
Serve at room temperature or chilled. Sprinkle with a little dice of preserved ginger and sugar. 

Jeannie Chesterton’s Lamb with Coffee & Chocolate

1 leg of organic lamb

4 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs of rosemary
olive oil
sea salt
pepper
pimiento
cinnamon
cardamom
turmeric
cloves
1 pint coffee
1 oz (25g) dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa solids)

deep ovenproof dish

Have your butcher debone a leg of organic lamb. Fill the inside with 4 crushed cloves of garlic and a good sprig or two of rosemary. Put the lamb into a deepish ovenproof dish, rub the top with olive oil and then sprinkle with a mixture of rock salt, and a teaspoonful of the following freshly ground spice mix; pepper, pimiento, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and cloves. (It’s worth keeping a little electric coffee grinder for this, but needs a regular wipe out afterwards or the oils in the spices can cause corrosion.)
Pour 1 pint of coffee around the lamb and roast in a moderately hot oven 15 mins to the lb.
Take the lamb out, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Add 1 oz of good (minimum 60% cocoa solids) dark chocolate, and work into the sauce over heat. Carve the lamb into slices and add any blood/juice which comes out to the sauce. Place on a hot serving dish and poor the sauce over.

Quesa de Cabra con Miel – Goat Cheese with Honey on Toast

We ate this at the local restaurant in Los Arieros in Andalucia

1 slice of sour dough or yeast bread
soft goat cheese, eg. Ardsallagh, St. Tola…..
honey
thyme leaves

Toast or chargrill the bread. Cut the slice of toasted bread into strips approx. 1 inch thickness. Reassemble the slice as you transfer it onto a small baking sheet. Top with slices of goat cheese. 
Sprinkle with some fresh thyme leaves and drizzle with honey.
Pop back under the grill until the cheese starts to bubble, serve immediately – so simple but truly delicious.

Jeannie’s Mountain Paella

In Spain one can buy a gas ring specially for cooking paella for a picnic, how wonderful would that be?

Serves 10

Extra virgin olive oil – about 6 tablesp.

2 large onions, chopped
1 large green pepper, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 large red pepper, cut into ½ inch cubes
8 cloves garlic, sliced
2 rabbits, jointed and cut into smallish pieces
1 pork fillet, cut into cubes
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teasp. saffron
1kg (23lb) paella rice aprox. scant 1 cup per person 
stock
frozen peas

paella pan

Put lots of olive oil in the paella pan. Add the garlic, onions and peppers. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the rabbit and pork pieces. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Saute for 15 minutes, add 1 teaspoon of saffron and stir around. Add rice , (about 1 cup per person). Add stock to almost cover, stir to blend and then don’t stir again. Add peas (Jeannie says you must have peas in a paella). 
Lots of people use rabbit and prawns but Jeannie prefers to use rabbit and pork. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes because the meat is now almost cooked. Stand over it and move the ingredients around a little. Bring the paella pan to the table . Serve immediately directly from the pan. Fantastic to serve lots of people.

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Foolproof Food

Pears Poached in a Saffron Syrup

Serves 4

Most exotic of all the fruit compotes, pears cooked this way turn a wonderful deep golden colour and are delicately infused with the flavours of saffron and cardamom - two of the world’s most precious spices. We use Conference and Doyenne de Comice pears. This compote is rich and intensely sweet best served well chilled.

100 g (7oz) sugar
450ml (15fl oz) water
6 whole cardamom pods
¼ teaspoon good quality saffron (the threads)
45 ml (3 tablespoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 firm pears

Put the sugar, water, lightly crushed cardamom pods, saffron and lemon juice into a shallow, wide pan: we use a stainless steel saute pan. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile peel the pears, halve and core them. As you cut them put them into the simmering syrup cut side uppermost. 
Cover with a paper lid and the lid of the pan, cook gently for 20-30 minutes, spooning the syrup over them every now and then. Carefully take the pears out and arrange them in a serving dish in a single layer, cut side downwards. Pour the syrup over the pears. Serve chilled.
This compote keeps for several weeks covered in the fridge.
Tip For a more concentrated flavour the syrup may be reduced a little after the pears have been removed to a serving dish. Be careful not to cook it for too long, or the syrup will caramelise.


Sam and Jeannie Chesterton, Finca Buen Vino, Los Marines, 21293 Huelva, Spain.
Tel 00 34 959 12 40 34, fax 00 34 959 50 10 29 email:buenvino@facilnet.es   www.buenvino.com
 

Top Tips

Saffron –Known as the world’s most precious spice, immediately one thinks that it costs a fortune, but its so potent and aromatic one uses very little. Jeannie stressed that it should be used within a year. Avoid the powdered version because its sometimes adulterated, look for saffron strands. Available from Mr. Bell in Cork’s English Market, Health Food Shops, good supermarkets and speciality shops. 

Cookery Schools
Two of our past pupils have recently started cooking schools – Catherine Fulvio at her award-winning Farm Guesthouse, Ballyknocken House in Glenealy, Co Wicklow, Tel 0404-44627, www.ballyknocken.com  and Gretchen Oldfield at Woolsgrove Cookery School in Crediton in Devon, www.woolsgrove.co.uk  Tel 00 44 1363 85155. Ballymaloe Cookery School courses on line www.cookingisfun.ie  

The ICA Adult Education College at An Grianan, Termonfeckin, Co Louth have their 2004 brochure now available and cookery features strongly among their wide range of courses – great place for a relaxing break – Tel 041 9822119 admin@an-grianan.ie  www.ica.ie

Doesn’t seem so long ago since both Irish and English food was considered to be a joke in gastronomic circles, food writers vied with each other to find the opposite of superlatives to describe the over-cooked soggy vegetables and boring menu choices. In French culinary jargon anything described as a l’Anglaise was usually dull or boiled, a l’Irlandaise referred merely to stew.
Nowadays, however, London is on the cutting edge, one of the top food towns in the world. Eating out in the UK has undergone a quiet revolution in recent years pioneered by the Roux Brothers in the early 80’s, followed by Raymond Blanc, Marco Pierre White, Terence Conran and more recently Jamie Oliver.
That’s the pressurised end of the market where 16 hour days are normal and the only thing that really matters is to be anointed by the Michelin Guide. First one star is bestowed on those with a certain style of food and service, no time to rest on ones laurels, push the boys harder for a second star and then eventually the champagne corks pop when the news of the third star comes through. Three stars are awarded to a very few exemplars approved by the exacting and pernickety Michelin inspectors. Many chefs work their guts out for years without hitting their perceived jackpot. Others just decide that’s not a priority, they would rather concentrate on having a more casual atmosphere and throbbing restaurant packed to its gills every night – most, though not all Michelin starred restaurants are ‘temples of gastronomy, not the sort of places you can romp around in your jeans and ‘cardie’.
Nor surprisingly, many young chefs are opting out of the rat race and have decided to go back to basics. Some chefs who were trained in London have decided to head back to their rural roots to cook good food in pubs, hence the explosion of gastro pubs around Britain. I love this type of food, real honest food, using spanking fresh ingredients. 
Many of these young chefs are passionate about serving local food – the food of that place. Diana Henry in her new book ‘Gastro Pub’, quotes Andrew Perry at the Star in Yorkshire, he looks around his bar ‘ Over there I can see the farmer who raises my beef, the man who shoots a lot of my game and a local cheese-maker. They provide for me; I feed them; their produce is eaten by everyone who lives round here; its the way it should be.’
Gastro pubs are now an established part of the UK food scene, its hard to remember a time when they didn’t exist, yet its only 12 years since the revolution started. The Eagle in Farringdon Road opened its doors serving gutsy Mediterranean food cooked behind the bar. A blackboard listed the day’s menu which leaned towards Spain and Portugal. Its décor was a mixture of junk shop ‘shabby chic’, modern art and mismatched rickety chairs and china. Chefs Mike Belben and David Eyre created a mix of theatre and raw energy. Bottles of green olive oil, bunches of herbs, bowls of lemons - robust pork and bean stews, caldo verde, chunks of manchego and delicious parchment bread and custard tarts – delicious no-nonsense food. 
The influence of the Eagle was astounding. The high spending expense account dining of the 80’s had lost its appeal, so lavishing huge sums of money on food began to seem pretentious and obscene. Regional and peasant food that depended on top quality really fresh ingredients fitted a craving for forgotten flavours.
The trend has continued unabated ever since, even though not all of the gastro pubs have ad hoc interiors and decoration. Many now, like the House in Islington, have bespoke furniture and subtle lighting – the food is not always simple but the influence of the dining pub has spread throughout the country. In London there are many to check out. Diana Henry picked out The Oak in Westbourne Road and The House, but also the best of the rest, not only in London but all over the UK. I was thrilled to see Charles Inkin’s ‘The Felin Fach Griffin’ in Wales singled out because its definitely worth a detour (there are also a few rooms over the pub so try to stay the night).
Northern Ireland and Eire also merit a section – albeit it a little thin. The Ballymore Inn in Ballymore Eustace in Co Kildare and Buggy’s Glencairn Inn in Co Waterford were absolute favourites, but The Cross of Cloyne near us here in Cloyne, Blairs Inn in Blarney, Co Cork, The Purple Heather in Kenmare, Morans on the Weir in Kilcolgan, Co Galway, O’Sullivans in Crookhaven, Mary-Ann’s in Castletownshend, An Sugan in Clonakilty, Kealys in Greencastle, Co Donegal were also singled out among the best. There are lots of others , but my editor says I’m out of space.

The Gastro Pub Cookbook by Diana Henry, published by Mitchell Beazley, €28.40

Conwy mussels with coconut milk and coriander

(From the Felin Fach Griffin)

You can use any mussels for this, and add a little chopped fresh chilli to the shallots if you prefer a spicier version.
Serves 1

knob of butter
1 shallot, finely sliced
450g (1Ib) conwy mussels, in the shell, cleaned
125ml (4floz) coconut milk
salt and pepper
big bunch coriander, roughly chopped
wedges of lime or lemon

Melt the butter in a wide heavy-based pan over a high heat, but ensure the butter does not burn. Add the finely sliced shallot, sweat for about I minute, then add the mussels in I layer -cook in batches if your pan is too small- with about 60ml (4tbsp) water. Cover immediately with a tight-fitting lid.
Cook for 30 seconds, then check to see if any mussels are open. Remove these to a bowl. Replace the lid and cook for another 15 seconds, then check again for opened mussels. Repeat once more, then discard any mussels that remain closed.
Pour the coconut milk into the mussel pan, stir and gently warm through just to simmering point. Check the seasoning.
Return the mussels to the pan, stir and serve immediately in a large bowl, sprinkled with chopped coriander and wedges of lime or lemon on the side.

Chargrilled aubergine salad with mature Ardrahan cheese

(from the Ballymore Inn)

If you can't find mature Ardrahan but want to stick to an Irish cheese, try Milleens or Gubbeen. If you can't get any of these, try Italian taleggio. Serve this salad as soon as you've cooked the vegetables, as their warmth slightly melts 
the cheese. 
Serves 4 

75ml (5tbsp) balsamic vinegar 
2 medium aubergines 
olive oil 
salt and pepper 
10 cherry tomatoes 
2 handfuls of salad leaves - rocket, watercress and lamb's lettuce 
55g (2oz) Ardrahan cheese, cut into small chunks 

For the dressing 

2.5g ( ½ tsp) cumin seeds 
60ml (4tbsp) extra virgin olive 
oil 
juice of ½ small lemon 
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped 

To make the dressing, heat the cumin seeds in a dry pan and toast them for about 30 seconds. Grind. Mix with the other dressing ingredients. 
For the salad, in a small saucepan bring the balsamic vinegar to the boil and reduce by half. Set aside. 
Cut the aubergines into 1cm (½ inch) slices. Brush with olive oil and season well. Heat a cast-iron griddle pan and cook the aubergines on both sides until they are coloured and quite soft. Put them in a bowl. 
Halve the tomatoes and place them, cut side down, on the hot pan for 1-2 minutes to slightly soften and heat them. Add these to the aubergine. 
Pour half of the dressing onto the vegetables. Dress the salad leaves with the other half. 
To serve, place the salad leaves on a large plate ( or divide between 4 smaller ones), and top with the aubergines and tomatoes. Scatter the Ardrahan cheese over this and drizzle on the reduced balsamic vinegar. 

Braised rabbit with cider, rosemary and cream

(From the Fox Inn in Dorset)

You can use chicken joints instead of rabbit if you prefer, but if you do you should reduce the cooking time to about 40 minutes. You may have to remove the chicken and reduce the sauce to thicken it, adding it back to warm through. 
Serves 4 

2 rabbits, cut into joints, ie legs removed, ribcage discarded and body chopped into 2 pieces 
sunflower oil, for frying 
unsalted butter, for frying 
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
2 medium onions, thinly sliced 
425ml (¾ pint) Blackthorn cider 
710ml (1¼ pints) double cream 
4 sprigs rosemary 
15ml (1tbsp) wholegrain mustard 
2 bay leaves 
30ml (2tbsp) finely chopped parsley 
salt and pepper to serve 
4 deep-fried bay leaves or 
parsley sprigs (optional) 

In a frying pan, heat a little oil and a knob of butter. Fry the joints of rabbit until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. 
In the same pan, add the garlic and onions and fry until softened but not coloured. Transfer the onion mix to a heavy-bottomed pan, add the rabbit, cover with the cider and cream, then add the rosemary, wholegrain mustard and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down, cover and, stirring occasionally, cook on a very low heat for about I½ hours, or until the rabbit is tender. Just before serving add the parsley, and season to taste. 
Serve a front and back leg and half of the body to each person. Garnish 
with a sprig of parsley or a bay leaf quickly deep-fried in vegetable oil, until dark green but not brown. 

Pear tarte tatin 

(From The House in London)

People get nervous about making tarte tatin and think it's best left to restaurants. In fact, it's pretty simple -you don't even have to make any pastry. Just make sure that the butter and sugar are properly caramelized, but not burnt, and leave the tart for about 5 minutes to cool slightly before turning it out, though don't leave it for longer or it will start to stick. 
Serves 2 

3-4 large, firm William pears, peeled 
8Og (2¾oz) unsalted butter 1OOg (3¾oz) caster sugar 
1 sheet ready-made puff pastry 
To serve 
whipped cream or creme fraiche 

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Halve the pears lengthways and remove the cores. Place the butter and sugar in a 18cm (7 inch) pan that can go on the stove-top and in the oven. Lay the pears on top, outer surface down. 
Put the pan on a medium heat to melt the butter and sugar, then cook until the sugar caramelizes -but do not burn! Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 
Rollout the pastry to 6mm (¼ inch) thick. Cut out a 20cm (8 inch) circle and cover the pears, tucking the pastry under at the sides. Bake for about 25 minutes. 
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Turn out onto a plate and serve with whipped cream or creme fraiche. 

Fool proof food

Oven Toasted Cheese

When my children were small this superior toasted cheese often saved the day if they were ravenously hungry. It is made from ingredients one would nearly always have to hand.

Serves 2

2 slices of white bread
1 egg, preferably free range
4 ozs (110g) grated Irish cheddar cheese
2-1 teaspoon English mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper

Butter the bread and place the buttered side down on a baking sheet. Whisk the egg in a bowl with a fork, add the grated cheese and the mustard and season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread this mixture onto the slices of bread and bake in a hot oven 230C/450F/regulo 8 for 15 minutes approx. or until puffy and golden on top.
Note: a teaspoon of chopped chives or a tiny dice of crispy bacon is also delicious added to the above.

Top Tips
Bridgestone Guides for 2004 have just been published – 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland and 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland 2004 - bridgestoneguides.com 

Cork Free Choice Consumer Group - Champagne Reception and Christmas Dinner on Thursday 27th November at The Crawford Gallery Café – Tickets from Crawford Gallery or Caroline Robinson at 021-7330178

British Cheese Awards - This September the British Cheese Awards celebrated its 10th anniversary – 774 cheeses were entered into the awards, 55 of these were from Ireland - Jeffa Gill’s Durrus won the Eugene Burns trophy for Best Irish Cheese, St Tola, St Killian, Ardrahan and Gubbeen all won medals in their categories.

More Awards – The Georgina Campbell Jameson Guide recognises quality throughout Ireland - here are just a few of the winners -
Jameson International Hospitality Award – Mark Nolan of Dromoland Castle Hotel in Co Clare 
Jameson Restaurant of the Year – The Tannery in Dungarvan
BIM Seafood Restaurant of the Year – The Custom House in Baltimore, Co Cork
IHF Happy Heart Eat Out Award – The Farmgate Café, English Market, Cork

In Mexico one of the most important festivals of the year is The Day of the Dead. It coincides with our All Saints and All Souls Day in early November. Death has played a central role in Mexican life and religion for thousands of years, but somehow it is not viewed with such finality as it is in our culture.

Life and death are inseparable and reflect a dualistic view as represented by the gods Quetzalcoatl, the God of life and the earth, and Mitchtlantecuhtli, the God of the Dead and the Underworld.
Following the conquest of Mexico in 1579, the Spaniards sought to convert Mexico’s indigenous people to Christianity, but instead the Christian celebrations gradually became overtaken by Mexico’s ancient spirituality.
On the Day of the Dead, throngs of Mexicans pour into cemeteries at midnight, carrying picnics to share with their dearly beloved deceased relatives and friends. Increasingly, visitors from all over the world join them to witness this beautifully macabre and ancient ritual. 

In Oaxaca, a colonial city about an hour south of Mexico City by plane, the celebrations begin weeks before The Day of the Dead. The market and street stalls are piled high with sugar and chocolate skulls (calacas) decorated in brightly coloured icing. A special anise flavoured bread embellished with symbolic images called pan de meurtos is baked. Figurines of painted skeletons engaged in a whole range of human behaviour, from drinking mescal, to watching tv, playing soccer, driving sports cars, or playing in mariachi bands, are snapped up by locals and tourists alike – All very morbid and macabre one might think, but in fact it all adds to the air of celebration.
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In every home altars and shrines are decorated with statues, flowers, ornate candles, food, and personal items so that the appropriate spirit will find its way home during the special days.

Families and friends prepare their ‘ofrenda’ (the adornment of a grave prior to the all -night vigil). Some people do evocative sand paintings, others construct bamboo fences around graves which are then decorated with flowers, fruit and colourful sugar skulls and sometimes bottles of tequila and Coca cola. Cocks combs and the marigold like campasuchil flowers adorn the graves. The strewn petals make vibrant orange paths to the graveyard. Some Indians believe that the bright orange colour and the pungent perfume of the flowers attract the spirits, and that the ancient incense called copal which is burnt by the graveside and around household altars also entices and nourishes the spirits.

In kitchens all over Mexico, women painstakingly cook the favourite foods of their loved ones. Posole and turkey mole are traditional favourites. Come midnight families enter the cemeteries laden with food, drink, flowers, candles, blankets and treasured mementoes of their lost ones. They lovingly lay baskets and pottery dishes full of tasty food on the graves for their dear departed with glasses of water to allay the thirst. Come morning the living share the food.

The entire area is bathed in the light of a forest of candles which guide the spirits to their waiting family and friends who sit wrapped in blankets and ponchos around the graves. As the night moves on they tell stories, remember and drink toasts to their loved ones. A mariachi band plays lively music, the mood seems festive but somewhat subdued. 

There are of course similarities with Hallowe’en but our celebrations seem on one hand darker, but on the other more frivolous as the children play trick or treat and dress up as witches, monsters, vampires and ghosts to terrorise their friends and neighbours.

Colcannon

Serves 8 approx.

Colcannon was one of the festive dishes eaten at Hallowe’en. Songs have been sung and poems have been written about Colcannon. This comfort food at its very best has now been 'discovered' and is often a feature on smart restaurant menus in London and New York. 
In Dublin parsnips were often added to colcannon, the proportion of parsnips to potato varied.

Did you ever eat colcannon
When 'twas made with yellow cream
And the kale and praties blended 
Like a picture in a dream?
Did you ever scoop a hole on top
To hold the melting lake
Of the clover-flavoured butter
Which your mother used to make?

450g (1lb) Savoy or spring cabbage
900g - 1.35kg (2-3lb) 'old' potatoes, e.g. Golden Wonders or Kerrs Pinks
250ml (8fl oz) approx. boiling milk
30g (1oz) scallion or spring onion, optional
salt and freshly ground pepper
55g (2oz) approx . butter

Scrub the potatoes, put them in a saucepan of cold water, add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil. When the potatoes are about half cooked, 15 minutes approx. for 'old' potatoes, strain off two-thirds of the water, replace the lid on the saucepan, put onto a gentle heat and allow the potatoes to steam until they are cooked.

Remove the dark outer leaves from the cabbage. Wash the rest and cut into quarters, remove the core and cut finely across the grain. Boil in a little boiling water or bacon cooking water until soft. Drain, season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a little butter. When the potatoes are just cooked, put the milk, and the finely chopped scallions into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pull the peel off the potatoes and discard, mash quickly while they are still warm and beat in enough boiling milk to make a fluffy puree. (If you have a large quantity, put the potatoes in the bowl of a food mixer and beat with the spade.) Then stir in the cooked cabbage and taste for seasoning. For perfection, serve immediately in a hot dish with a lump of butter melting in the centre.

Colcannon may be prepared ahead up to this point and reheated later in a moderate oven 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4, for 20-25 minutes approx. Cover while reheating so it doesn't get too crusty on top.

Hot Diggedy Dogs

This recipe from the November BBC Good Food Magazine really appealed to me as a suggestion for a Bonfire night party (lots of other great ideas in the magazine too.) Here the sausages and onions roast together in the oven. Ready in 30-40 minutes.

Makes 6 but can easily be doubled.
2 tablesp. sunflower oil
6 large pork sausages
1 large onion, sliced 
1 teasp. yellow mustard seeds
6 big flour tortillas
2 tablesp. tomato relish
paper napkins, to serve

Preheat the oven to fan 180C, conventional 200C/ gas 6.

Pour the oil into the roasting tin and put it in the oven for a couple of minutes to heat up. Add the sausages to the hot tin and roast for another 10 minutes. 

Push the sausages to the outer edges of the tin and scatter the sliced onion in the centre. Sprinkle the onion slices with the mustard seeds and some salt and pepper and turn them to coat in the hot oil at the bottom of the tin. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the sliced onions are golden and the sausages are completely cooked through.

Briefly heat the flour tortillas in the oven, microwave or in a dry frying pan to make them softer and easier to roll. Place a sausage and some onion on each one, top with a spoonful of relish and roll, folding the bottom over. Serve straight away, wrapped in paper napkins.
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Roasted Potato Wedges with Fire and Brimstone Sauce 
Another idea for the bonfire party!

2 lbs (900g) old potatoes, e.g. Golden Wonders, or Kerrs Pink.
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For dipping:
Fire and brimstone sauce and sour cream.
Preheat the oven to 200F/100C

Scrub the potatoes well. Cut into quarters or eights lengthwise depending on size. The pieces should be chunky rather than skinny. Put into a roasting tin, drizzle with a little olive oil, toss to coat, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. 

Roast for 20-30 minutes.
Serve with a bowl of fire and brimstone sauce and a bowl of sour cream to dip.

Fire and Brimstone Sauce

This great little sauce is terrific to serve with pangrilled chicken, pork or lamb. We also use it as a dipping sauce for potato wedges and all kinds of fried food especially chicken or fish goujons.

2-4 red chillies (medium-hot)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
225g (8oz) apricot jam
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
good pinch of salt

Deseed and roughly chop the chillies, then just whizz all the ingredients in a food processor. 
This sauce keeps for up to 2 weeks in a covered jam jar in the fridge.
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Foolproof Food

Hallow’Eves Apple and Cinnamon Pudding

Serves 4-6

12 lbs (675g) cooking apples
1 tablesp. water
3-4 ozs (85-110g) approx. sugar
1 teasp. cinnamon
For the Topping
2 ozs (55g) butter
2 ozs (55g) sugar
1 beaten egg, preferably free range
3 ozs (85g) self raising flour, sieved
1-2 tablesp. milk
1 pie dish 12 pint (900ml) capacity

Set the oven to 200C/400F/regulo 6.
Peel, core and slice the apples and put them in a heavy saucepan with the water and sugar, cover. Stew them gently until just soft, add the cinnaomon and then tip into a buttered pie dish.

Cream the butter until soft, add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg by degrees and beat well until completely incorporated. Sieve the flour and fold into the butter and egg mixture. Add about 1 tablespoon milk or enough to bring the mixture to dropping consistency. Spread this mixture gently over the apple.
Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the sponge mixture is firm to the touch in the centre. Sprinkle with castor sugar. Serve warm with home made custard or lightly whipped cream.
Hallow’Eves pudding is delicious made with rhubarb, gooseberries or a mixture of blackberry and apples or rhubarb and strawberries.
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Hot Tips
Slow Food West Cork ‘Celebrates the Pig’ on Sunday 2nd November – a chance to see how free-range pigs are reared, see smoking and processing, a talk on Irish pork by John McKenna of Bridgestone Guides and a feast of delicious dishes and wines. Full booking details from Clodagh McKenna 087-6831602 clodaghmckenna@eircom.net  

Tesco kicks off search for the Nations Young Cook of the Year 2004.
Young chefs across the country should have their spatulas ready as Tesco Ireland, in association with Knorr, announce their hunt for the 2004 champion – open to 10-16 year olds. Ask your teacher, look out for the posters in Tesco stores, check out 
www.livingonline.ie/  cooking  or www.tesco.ie

There were two big food bashs in London this weekend and enough excitement to entice me to give up my weekend in the countryside to head for the bright lights of the metropolis.

On Sunday evening Rose Grey and Ruth Rogers threw a terrific party to celebrate the launch of their newest cookbook –River Café Easy. Hundreds of friends, River Café fans, food and wine writers and devotees turned up. They celebrated enthusiastically with the two ‘belladonnas’, sipped lots of bubbly prosecco and nibbled a selection of gorgeous bruschetta on chargrilled sourdough bread. One was more delicious than the next, Tomato and black olive with rocket, Broad bean pecorino with fresh mint leaves, Sweet oven roasted cherry tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella, garlic and lemon, Crushed fava beans, mozzarella and black olives, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Stephen Parle, past student of the school who has been cooking at the River Café for over a year, was part of the busy kitchen brigade who were busy turning out bruschetta as fast as they were gobbled, and gobbled they were with indecent haste by the great and the good of the London food scene. Madhur Jaffrey was over from New York, Claudia Roden, Roly Leigh, Terry Durack, Monty Don…….

But so too was the chap who supplies the veg to the River Café, some of the farmhouse cheesemakers, wine suppliers – it was a wonderfully relaxed affair, lots of people brought their children who bebopped to the music of Pierre La Rue’s band and queued up with the rest of us for homemade ice-cream cornets.

The second bash - The Glenfiddich Food and Wine Awards, held this year in Vinopolis close to the Borough Market, have turned into the Oscars of the UK food scene. This was my first taste of this event which has been running for 33 years (I was nominated for an award in the Magazine Cookery Writer category for a series I wrote for Waitrose Food Illustrated Magazine, called ‘Pass it on’). 

Here the Glenfiddich whiskey flowed and leading style bar mixologists Alessandro Palzzi, Colin Appiah and Daniel Warner, dispensed cocktails from behind a counter made of ice- Glenfiddich Aurora, Glenfiddich Fifteen and Glenfiddich Zander - again the celebs were out in force. Antony Worrall Thompson, fresh from his stint on ‘I’m a Celebrity – get me out of here’ regaled us with stories. I hugely admire him for participating – such a gamble but they raised one million and seventy three thousand pounds for charity. 

Jamie Oliver won the Television award, narrowly pipping Rick Stein at the post. The programme ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’ was praised for its entertaining, inspiring and utterly compulsive viewing, covering the subject of food from a broad range of angles, and extending the appeal of the programme to non-foodies through its soap opera style. The programme enhanced Oliver’s credibility with the general public, a point reflected by the fact that he was also awarded the GQ/Glenfiddich Food and Drink Personality of the Year 2003.

The coveted Glenfiddich Trophy was awarded to drink writer and broadcaster Andrew Jefford, a veteran in the food and drink arena, who consistently produce incredible, intelligent, thought-provoking observation pieces, which challenge the readers’ and listeners’ perception. Jefford was also awarded the Drink Writer and Wine Writer Awards for 2003.

This year’s Glenfiddich Independent Spirit Award awarded in recognition of a piece of work or progressive individual or campaign that is thought to have made an outstanding contribution towards widening the understanding of food and drink in Britain was picked up by James Pavitt of the National Association of Farmers Markets, for his role in the establishment and launch of a farmers’ market certification scheme, which aims to preserve and protect the ethic of true farmers’ markets by identifying those markets that are local producers exclusively selling their own produce directly to the public. The Certification scheme was launched in June 2002.

The food there was wittily catered for by The Moving Venue Company, based in Deptford South East London. www.movingvenue.com 

A series of canapés and mini meals, first in cornets – Peking Duck, Salmon Cornets, Tandoori Lamb and Guacamole Pinto Tacos, then in bowls – Caesar Salad, Sausage & Mash with caramelized onion gravy, and Roasted Pimento & Courgette Risotto, on plates – Seared Tuna Loin with Sauce Vierge, Smoked Haddock Fish Cake, Steak & Chip with Bearnaise Sauce, and finally in shot glasses a choice of a boozy Glenfiddich trifle (Tipsy Laird) or a delicious Chocolate mousse with Spiced pear compote (Tartan Dream).

River Cookbook Easy by Rose Grey and Ruth Rogers, published by Ebury Press.

Asparagus and Anchovy Antipasta

800g/1 ¾ lbs asparagus

6 anchovy fillets
150g/5ozs unsalted butter
½ lemon
extra virgin olive oil
50g/2ozs parmesan

Soften the butter. Rinse, dry and roughly chop the anchovies. In a bowl mix the anchovies with lemon juice and black pepper, then with a fork mix with the butter.
Boil the asparagus in salted water until tender. Drain and season and drizzle with olive oil. Place the asparagus on warm plates. Spoon over the anchovy butter, and scatter with parmesan shavings.

Choose asparagus with tightly closed tips and firm stalks. Asparagus steamers are designed to protect the fragile tips as they cook standing upright. Alternatively, lay the asparagus flat in a large frying pan and cover with boiling salted water.

Beef Fillet with Thyme

500g/18ozs beef fillet

30g/1 ¼ oz black peppercorns
3 tablespoons thyme leaves
extra virgin olive oil
3 lemons
100g/3 ½ ozs parmesan
100g/3 ½ ozs wild rocket leaves

Grind the peppercorns and mix with ½ a tablespoon of salt and the thyme. Rub the fillet lightly with olive oil, then rub the pepper mixture into the beef. Heat a ridged griddle pan to very hot, and sear the beef on all sides. Cool.
Use a long, sharp-bladed knife to slice the beef as thinly as possible. Place the slices on a board and press with the flat blade of the knife to extend each slice.
Cover a cold plate with the beef. Season, and drizzle over the juice of ½ a lemon.
Shave the parmesan. Toss the rocket with olive oil and a little more lemon juice.
Scatter the leaves over the beef, then put the parmesan shavings on top. Drizzle over more olive oil, and serve with lemon.

Plum and Orange Cake

500g/18ozs ripe plums

1 orange
50g/2ozs caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
cake
150g/5ozs unsalted butter
150g/5ozs caster sugar
2 organic, free range eggs
85g/3 ½ ozs self-raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
100g/3 ½ ozs blanched almonds
topping
1 orange
30g/ 1 ¼ oz unsalted butter
25g/1 oz muscovado sugar
50g/2oz flaked almonds

Finely grate the rind and squeeze the juice of the orange. Grind the almonds in a food processor.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC/Gas Mark 4.
Halve and stone the plums and put in an ovenproof dish with the sugar, the orange juice and rind. Add the split vanilla pod and bake for 20 minutes. Cool. Scrape in the vanilla seeds.

Grease a 25cm round spring-form tin, lined with parchment paper, with extra butter.
Soften the butter and beat with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds.
Pour into the tin and push the plums and their juices into and over the cake. Bake in the oven for ½ hour.

For the topping, finely grate the orange rind. Melt the butter and stir in the sugar, zest and flaked almonds. Spread this over the half-baked cake, lower the heat to 320ºF/160ºC/Gas Mark 3 and bake for a further 20 minutes. Cool the cake in the tin.

Darina Allen’s back to basics -

Compotes
I adore compotes and virtually always have a bowl of poached fruit in the fridge. It changes with and within each season, starting in January with the tongue twister, a Compote of Kumquats – which gives way in Spring to Poached Rhubarb. Just as soon as the tender young shoots of rhubarb appear in the forcing pots. Poaching rhubarb is a tricky business it can so easily dissolve into a mush, the secret is to put the rhubarb pieces with cold syrup, bring them gently to the boil, simmer for just 1 minute then turn off the heat and allow the rhubarb to continue to cook in the covered saucepan.

At the end of May we scan the hedgerows for the first of the elderflowers, just as soon as it blossoms, we know its time to search under the prickly branches of the gooseberry bushes. the fruit will be hard and green, but perfect for poaching. The elderflowers imbue the gooseberries with a wonderfully haunting muscat flavour. Unlike rhubarb, gooseberries must be allowed to burst in the cooking so the syrup can penetrate.

Most fruit compotes keep for several days in the fridge and in some cases even for even longer. They also freeze well. Making a fruit compote is a simple but very useful technique.

Strawberry & Rhubarb Compote

Rhubarb and strawberries are a wonderful combination and now that strawberries have a longer season we can enjoy them together.

Serves 4

1 lb (450g) red rhubarb, e.g. Timperely Early
16 fl ozs (scant 450ml) stock syrup (see below)
½ - 1 lb (225 - 450g) fresh strawberries, Cambridge Favourite, Elsanta or Rapella
To Serve
Pouring cream
Light biscuits 

Cut the rhubarb into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces. Put the cold syrup into a stainless steel saucepan add the rhubarb, cover, bring to the boil and simmer for just 1 minute, then turn off the heat and leave the rhubarb in the covered saucepan until just cold. Hull the strawberries, slice lengthways and add to the rhubarb compote. Chill and serve with a little pouring cream and a light biscuit.

Stock Syrup
1 lb (450g) sugar
1 pint (600ml) 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.

Green Gooseberry and Elderflower Compote

When I'm driving through country lanes in late May or early June, suddenly I spy the elderflower coming into bloom. Then I know its time to go and search on gooseberry bushes for the hard, green fruit, far too under-ripe at that stage to eat raw, but wonderful cooked in tarts or fools or in this delicious Compote.

Elderflowers have an extraordinary affinity with green gooseberries and by a happy arrangement of nature they are both in season at the same time.

Serves 6-8
2 lbs (900g) green gooseberries
2 or 3 elderflower heads
1 pint (600ml) cold water
1 lb (450g) sugar

First top and tail the gooseberries. Tie 2 or 3 elderflower heads in a little square of muslin, put in a stainless steel or enamelled saucepan, add the sugar and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to the boil and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Add the gooseberries and simmer just until the fruit bursts. Allow to get cold. Serve in a pretty bowl and decorate with fresh elderflowers.

Green Gooseberry and Elderflower Fool

Liquidise the compote, mix with softly whipped cream to taste - about 2 volume of whipped cream to fruit puree. Serve chilled with shortbread biscuits.

Top Tips

Focus on Fruit – 

This is the name of a joint promotion just launched by the Health Promotion Unit and Bord Glas – the object is to try to instil the message of the importance of eating ‘Four or More’ fruit and vegetable a day, with an emphasis on the convenience, versatility and great taste of fruit.

BIM are currently producing a series of recipe cards with quick and delicious ideas to promote fish in our everyday diets – what about Seafood Wraps – using soft tortillas filled with salmon or prawns or other tasty fish - look out for these cards on the fish counter or at your fishmonger. www.bim.ie 

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland recently announced a public consultation process on proposed changes in food safety legislation now available through its website. www.fsai.ie This new ‘consultations’ section of the website is seen by the FSAI as a valuable tool in giving people an arena to have their say on upcoming legislation and for the Authority to gauge both consumer and industry views on key food issues. Views are currently being sought on Flavourings and Food Ingredients with Flavouring Properties for use in and on Food – so make your opinions known. 

Coming up soon at Ballymaloe Cookery School –

Australian Guest Chef Maggie Beer – 9-11 June
Ballymaloe Buffet Course – 15-18 June
Barbecue Course Part 1 - 26th June. Part 2 – 27th June
For details of these and other courses tel 021-4646785 www.cookingisfun.ie

Despite the war and the Saars scare, 1,200 people winged their way to Montreal recently to attend the annual conference of the International Association of Cooking Professionals. This net-working festival for food writers, cookery school owners, teachers, caterers and chefs is held yearly somewhere on the North American continent. The fact that there was a record turnout for the 25th Annual conference reflects the fact that in the US, record numbers of people are, buying cookbooks, enrolling for cooking classes, because they want to be able rustle up something delicious for their family and friends. In this time of fiscal restraint ‘Eating in’ would appear to be the new ‘Eating out’! The exception were the French cooking schools which target the American business, they saw their business decimated this year when France took an anti-Iraq war stand. 

So what do IACP members do when they get together for a conference. The answer is pack much more than is physically possible into a few days. Delegates start to network furiously at breakfast from 7.30am onwards each day. Then there are keynote presentations, this year it was on the Politics of Food, moderated by RW Apple Junior, of the New York Times. A coffee break for more networking, followed by a myriad of simultaneous concurrent workshops on a variety of subjects. The theme of this year’s conference was Le Goût du Terroir, which rather inadequately translates into The Taste of the Soil. The concept of terroir really means much more in French than soil. It denotes an understanding of history and a powerful sense of place. Terroir is all about flavour, provenance and locale. Several of the sessions dealt with how our food is produced, the farm to table connection and the dilemma of cheap food. Others dealt with topics such as how to make your culinary business grow, what cookbook and magazine editors want today, behind the scenes in a test kitchen, food styling on location, the art of food photography, planning culinary tours …..

There were sessions on pairing food with wine , tea with chocolate and Washoku – the harmony of food.

Other sessions dealt with specific ingredients, spices, chocolate, farmhouse cheese, duck, foie gras, or particular cuisines, a taste of Sweden, the Philippines, or the Turmeric Trail. In the midst of it all the great diet debate and a session on trends in the supermarket industry.

Altogether there are 60 sessions over 3 days, so it is totally impossible to participate or absorb all the information, so one ends up buying the tapes of the sessions one couldn’t get to. 

In the evenings it was a frenzy of eating out. Montreal is a beautiful city on an island, a mixture of old and new. Downtown bristles with skyscrapers, many seem frivolous, almost perky with playful shapes and uncorporate colours.

The city above ground is mirrored by another whole city underground so one can avoid the freezing winters and wander around in coatless comfort- just as well because I arrived coatless and full of optimism to be met by the last snow shower of the season. Fortunately, I resisted the impulse to buy a coat- two days later the temperature was in the 60’s

Up to relatively recently, the food scene in Montreal was determinedly French, chefs had resisted the food trends sweeping across from America and even Toronto. Cajun, Tex Mex, Franco Asian, Pacific Rim & Cal-Ital came and went in other cities, but the diners of Montreal remained resolute – they stuck to their French culinary traditions.

However, in recent years this attitude has changed dramatically after the recession of the early 1990’s , restaurateurs were forced to re-examine, streamline and experiment. Immigration continued to grow, Thai, Vietnamese, Moroccan, Turkish, Portuguese, Mexican, Indian, Creole, Greek, Szechuan, Japanese. 

Innovation and intermingling of styles, ingredients and techniques was inevitable and the city culinary landscape is all the richer for it. 

My best meals were at Milos, a Greek seafood restaurant where the food was so delicious it made me wish I could head for a Greek island . The interior was just like a taverna in an Aegean fishing port - white washed walls, bleached wooden floors, blue tiles, Greek vases and a mouthwatering display of the freshest fish you can imagine.

With the basket of grilled bread came a dish of fragrant olive oil, just as we were about to dip our bread, the waiter snipped some fresh Marjoram into the oil- a simple and truly delicious touch wonderful for restaurant or for home entertaining. 

We were a table of avid foodies , so we shared a wide variety of dishes, a starter plate of Taramasalata, Tsatsiki and Kephalotyri cheese in a crispy batter, chargrilled squid, crab cakes, paper thin slices of courgette and aubergine with tsatsiki

A super rocket salad with feta and olive oil balsamic avgotarlio, the salted and pressed mullet roe which I found addictive and huge shrimps from Lake Messalogi.

After we shared all this, there was no room for main course so we went straight onto pudding. Various halva and filo pastries- the galaktoboureko was particularly delicious. 

Finally, we nibbled some Greek cheeses and a truly delicious Anthotyro, a soft cheese from Crete which was drizzled with honey and served with candied tangerine peel.

Other good meals at Anise and Toque, but the most memorable was at Pied de Couchon where chef Martin Picard serves truly authentic French peasant food, comforting bourgeois dishes with an edge of wit and sophistication. The look is rustic, sleek with hewn wood tables, brick oven and industrial chic ladies room. This restaurant is not for the faint hearted, certainly not a destination for vegetarians- this place is unashamedly for raging carnivores – the emphasis is on meat and not the wimpish cuts, the restaurant challenges its customers.

Pig’s trotters, lamb shanks, pig’s ears, beef cheek, a wonderful pot au feu, home cured meats, rillettes, terrines – all home made . The menu also included some Quebec specialities , a comforting poutine - chips smothered with gravy with cheese nuggets and a delicious sugar tart-brilliant food and seriously hunky waiters.

On a tour of old Montreal we visited the not to be missed Montreal institution, Schwartz charcuterie, to sample the best smoked meats (Romanian style) and liver sandwiches, served with pickles and coleslaw. Schwartz’s salt the brisket for 8 days and then smoke it for 7-8 hours - real Montreal Hebrew deli food. Then on to sample bagels in Fairmont and from there to Chinatown to see Johnny Chin make Dragons beard cookies – a real character. We all crammed into his tiny shop, while we watched he took a blob of warm semi solid corn syrup, tossed it in corn flour then folded and refolded like a conjurer so fast we could scarcely see what he did. Within seconds the blob of sugar was transformed into strings of sugar, like the finest spaghetti – 13 pulls resulted in 8192 strands. (1 – to the power of 12)

Then he pulled off little pieces and wrapped them around sugar peanuts, chocolate and coconut sesame. The result Dragons Beard cookies which you pop into your mouth all in one go, the strand of sugar coating melting on your tongue, then just chew the delicious filling – a magic little confection not to be missed, if and when you get to Montreal.

Jambon Persille

Jellied Ham with parsley

Serves 12 – 16

a nice piece of ham or oyster cut about - 6 lbs (2.7kg)
2 dry white wine and 2 water or all wine
2 onions, stuck with 1 clove each
2 carrots
1 stick celery
1 small bay leaf
few sprigs of thyme
10 peppercorns
parsley stalks (keep the leaves for later)
4-5 teasp. approx. gelatine
2 ozs (55g) parsley

Soak the ham or gammon in cold water overnight or at least for a few hours, discard the soaking water, cover with fresh water and blanch and refresh three or perhaps four times, depending on how salty the ham or bacon is. Add all the remaining ingredients except the gelatine and parsley. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 2-22 hours depending on the blanching time - a skewer should go through easily. Remove the ham, strain the liquid through a fine sieve or one lined with muslin, degrease and allow to cool. 
Cut the ham into 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes approx. Measure the liquid and allow 4 teaspoons of gelatine for each pint - you won't need much more than a pint. Put 4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid into a small bowl, sprinkle on 4 rounded teaspoons of gelatine and allow to sponge for a few minutes while you bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Put the bowl into the simmering water to dissolve the gelatine. When the gelatine is clear add a little of the measured liquid, stir well and then mix with the remainder, finally stirring in the finely chopped parsley. Pour the liquid over the ham and then fill into an oiled bowl or terrine (it should be about 4 inches (10 cm) deep. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

In France it is traditionally made in a round bottomed bowl but it could be made in a rectangular terrine also. Serve in slices with summer salads. 

Darina’s Top Tips

Ham hocks 
Lots of chefs are incorporating them into their menus – cheap and delicious. Ham hocks could be substituted in the Jambon Persillee recipe – available from pork butchers and from several stalls in the English Market in Cork.
New

Everyone is talking about the new Good Things Café in Durrus in West Cork. (027-61426) Chef/owner Carmel Somers knew Jane Grigson , worked with Sally Clarke in London and at Markwicks in Bristol. Creative, contemporary cooking, using the finest West Cork artisan ingredients. Open 11-5 for lunch, coffee, teas and snacks but plans to open for dinner in June, closed Tuesday and Wednesday during May. The Café is in what was formerly the Butterfly House.

Rhubarb In season

Rhubarb is really in full season now and the first Irish strawberries have just come on the market. Make a Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote or tarts and pies while the rhubarb is still at its best.

As a very special luxury look out for seakale, a country house vegetable, rarely found in shops, but inquire from your local Farmers Market, or better still go along to the garden centre and ask for it. Cook simply in boiling salted water and serve with Hollandaise sauce – sublime!

Just a few weeks ago a book tour to the US took me to three cities, New York , Pennsylvania and Minneapolis . It was just a few days before the war broke out and on the face of it everything seemed normal, but somehow there was an uneasy calm. I was staying in the centre of Manhattan around the corner from the theatre district near Times Square .
News headlines were endlessly snaking across the Radio Building . Huge brash signs and posters everywhere, screaming, bouncing, gyrating, flashing to get your attention. 
This is New York, incorrigible, shameless, endless hard sell but so exciting. New Yorkers seemed to have bounced back after September 11th, ,   restaurants were full again but underneath many are still traumatized. Nineteen months later many people still find it almost impossible to talk about the experience. Others can’t stop, each struggles to find release from the horror.

Despite the buzz, restaurateurs are very apprehensive, now that war has broken out there’s more talk of recession. People are spending less, ‘eating in’ is the new ‘eating out’. A foodie friend, who can usually be relied on to have her finger on the gastronomic pulse of the Big Apple, explained that apparently in this era of fiscal constraint New York is awash again in simple gastronomic pleasures. Fancy hamburgers are the hot new dish,  short beef ribs and pork belly are all around town. “Destination dining” has given way to the cult of the neighbourhood restaurant. Home cooking is the trendy phrase among the members of the cognoscenti.

Even the city’s most lauded and adored Italian chefs are focussing their considerable energies on the safest time- honoured favourite- they’re opening pizza joints.
When I was there everyone was flocking to Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, the newest spin-off of Babbo owned by the dream team chefs, Mario Batali, Jason Denton and Jo Bastianich,  whose restaurant Esca I’ve waxed lyrical about before in these columns. 

Opened recently, Apizz is another hot spot for gourmet pizza. Here there are oblong pizzas, scissored into portions according to the customer’s whim and sold by the 1lb- a Roman idea. There are 20-30 different types of chewy burnt crust and generous toppings of earthy ingredients like artichokes, wild boar, homemade sausages and salami. This is a cash only establishment- another interesting development.

The buzz words are local, earthy, bio-dynamic, hand made, neighbourhood, craft, fresh squeezed ……. Several of the young chefs are not just liasing with the farmers to raise their really good produce, but are actually getting involved in growing produce and raising animals themselves.

Casare Casella’s spit grilled sausages served with white beans and a sprig of rosemary at Beppe are made from pigs reared on his own farm.

Danny Meyer, owner of Grammercy Tavern and Craft says”all the best food is about slow cooking cuts of meat” I had a superb lunch at Craft where the food is served ‘family style’ in bowls and platters along the centre of the table. Chef Tom Collichio’s short ribs were quite simply sublime, I bought his book on the strength of it just to try the recipe.

New York is awash with terrific restaurants at present, sadly one simply doesn’t have enough time on a short trip even though I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday and sometimes afternoon tea too.

For those of you who can take advantage of the current cheap airfares, don’t miss Lupa, another of Mario Battali’s places, great gutsy Italian food.
Union Square Café is still a great favourite , meriting  top ratings in the Zagat Guide to new York City restaurants,  and if you are down in that area at the weekend go to the Farmers’ Market in Union Square to get a glimpse of the food scene and then after an amble through the stalls reward yourself with a mug of hot chocolate with a home-made marshmallow melting on top, at the City Bakery.

And finally, for a real neighbourhood restaurant seek out the place all my foodie friends are whispering about, Prune 54 East 1st Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue, where maverick chef Gabrielle Hamilton is quietly becoming a new cult. 

There’s so much more but I’ve run out of space - next week breakfast in the Big Apple.
Otto Enoteca Pizzeria – One Fifth Avenue   Tel 212 995 9559
Craft – 43 East 19th Street (between Broadway and Park avenue ) Tel 212-780- 0880
Gramercy Tavern – 42 E. 20th Street , (between Broadway & Park Avenue S. ) Tel 212 -477- 0777
Lupa – 170 Thompson Street (Bleecker and Houston Station) Tel 212-982-5089
Babbo-  110 Waverly Place, (between MacDougal St   & 6th Ave. ) Tel. 212 -777- 0303
Grammercy Tavern – 42 East 20th Street (Broadway and Park Avenue ) Tel 212-477-0777
Prune- 54 East First Street (between 20th and 21st Streets) Tel 212-677-6221
Esca – 402 West 43rd Street ( 9th Avenue ) Tel 212-564-7272
Beppe- 45 East 22nd Street (between Broadway and Park Avenue South ) Tel 212-982-8422
City Bakery – 3 W. 18th St. (between 5th & 6th Avenues) Tel 212- 366 -1414 
Apizz – 21 Eldridge St. (between Rivington and Stanton Streets) Tel 212- 253-9199
Zagat Survey  2003 New York City Restaurants -   published and distributed by Zagat Survey, LLD, 4 Columbus Circle,  New York, New York 10019, Tel. 212 977 6000, e-mail:newyork@zagat.com.  www.zagat.com    
Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery Course Cookbook has just been nominated for a James Beard award in the US , published by Kyle Cathie Ltd UK , Gill & Macmillan in Ireland and published by Penguin in USA as Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cooking School Cookbook.
Darina’s back to basic recipes.

Florence Bowe’s Crumpets

A great standby, 'Crumpets' can be made in minutes with ingredients you'd probably have in the house. They are also the ideal solution if you've got nothing in the tin when a friend drops in for tea, because they only take a few minutes to make and children love them.

My Auntie Florence makes the best crumpets I know, the problem is one always eats too many!  
Top Tips

If possible allow the batter to stand for an hour before using.
Use a non-stick pan – makes it easier.
Cook over a medium heat – you may need to make one or two first before you get the heat just right.
Don’t turn the crumpets on the pan until the bubbles burst, otherwise they will still be semi-raw in the centre.
Makes 15 approx.
½ lb (225g) white flour
¼ teasp. salt
½ teasp. breadsoda
1 teasp. Bextartar (cream of tartar)
2 eggs, preferably free range
8 fl ozs (250ml) milk
2 ozs (55g) castor sugar
1 oz (30g) butter
Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl and rub in the butter. Drop the eggs into the centre, add a little of the milk and stir rapidly with a whisk allowing the flour to drop gradually in from the sides. When half the milk is added, beat until air bubbles rise. Add the remainder of the milk and allow to stand for one hour if possible. *  Drop a good dessertspoonful into a hottish pan and cook until bubbles appear on the top. It usually takes a bit of trial and error to get the temperature right. Flip over and cook until golden on the other side. Serve immediately with butter and homemade jam or better still apple jelly.

* They are usually lighter if the batter is allowed to stand but I've often cooked them immediately with very acceptable results!

Braised Short Ribs 

2 tablesp.salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 large, meaty beef short ribs, (about 4 lbs), cut in half  (ask your butcher to cut each rib in half, since smaller ribs are easier to handle, this will leave you with 8 short ribs)
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
8 fresh hot cherry peppers 
4 fl.ozs sherry vinegar
16-24 fl.ozs (450-650ml) home-made chicken stock
2 sprigs fresh tarragon
Heat the oven to 350F/180C/regulo 4
Heat the oil in a large deep ovenproof casserole over medium-high heat until it shimmers.  Salt and pepper the ribs and cook them, in batches, until they are nicely browned on all sides, about 20 minutes.
Remove the ribs and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, 2 sprigs of thyme, and salt and pepper to the casserole.   Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes, then add the peppers.  Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender and browned, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Return the ribs to the casserole.   Add the vinegar and enough stock to come up the sides but not over the ribs.   Bring the braising liquid to a simmer.  Add the tarragon and remaining thyme, then transfer the casserole to the oven and cook at a very gentle simmer (just an occasional bubble) for 1 hour.   Turn the ribs and continue cooking until the meat is tender and comes easily away from the bone, about 1½ hours more.

Transfer the ribs and vegetables to a plate.  Bring the braising liquid to a simmer and skim off the fat.  Reduce the liquid slightly (just so it has a little body), then return the ribs and vegetables to the casserole.  Simmer just long enough to reheat the ribs, then serve.
Cherry peppers are about the size of large cherry tomatoes and are sweeter and fleshier than normal chillies.  They are also known as Hungarian peppers and can be found by that name bottled.   You could also substitute with a red chilli –about 3 inches long and not too narrow – red chillies are sweeter than green, being riper.
Another alternative would be to use an equivalent amount of red bell peppers and a pinch of red chilli flakes.