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Awards are two a penny these times, so much so that they often come and go with minimum publicity.

However the recent 2010 Georgina Campbell Ireland Awards caused a significant stir not only because of the calibre of the winners but also because Georgina Campbell issued a dire warning about the consequences of incessant haggling in restaurants and hotels to the point where it has become totally uneconomic for many establishments to operate.

“Many fine establishments have cut costs to the bone and businesses are now literally hanging by a thread,” Georgina Campbell said. “Prices have often been reduced to an unsustainable level and yet there is constant pressure from the public to make even further cuts.”

Receptionists around the country have a litany of stories of being harangued and abused on the phone by prospective guests who have been encouraged by the media to continue to bargain, doesn’t matter what price is quoted.

The lengths that some people will go to knows no bounds.

Recently four ladies arrived in a local câfé. They settled themselves in and ordered four cups of boiling water, the slightly baffled but polite waitress served them and asked if they would like something else, they replied that they were fine thank you, whereupon the took a tea bag each out of their bags, added it to their cups, added sugar and milk from the table. They chatted away happily for half an hour and left without comment – an absolutely true story.

Georgina Campbell complimented this years award winners for showing. “A determination to keep standards up while prices fall” This is far from easy. If prices are cut too much it becomes impossible to deliver top quality service so when guests arrive they are disappointed when the experience does not live up to the expectation.

A lack of Government action means that fixed costs remain too high for many businesses and cannot be negotiated.

One hotelier who slashed his prices in an effort to maintain business finds he has attracted a totally different clientele and has lost his original loyal following. He now wonders how he can raise prices again in these recessionary times.

Back to the awards – Georgina Campbell’s Hotel of the Year Award 2010 went to the Brooklodge and Wells Spa, Macreddin, Co Wicklow owned by Evan Doyle. “Brook Lodge has earned national recognition for its strong position on organic food – and their organic food markets are legendary. ” Georgina Campbell said.

Campagne in Kilkenny, described as a “bling free zone” won Restaurant of the Year for “its exceptional dining experience. No fancy large plates, no extravagant flowers, nothing at all showy, just exceptional attention to detail, well judged flavour combinations and perfect French inspired modern cooking.” Doesn’t that description make you want to whizz to Kilkenny right away. Owner Chef Gareth Byrne shared his recipe for Deep Fried Smoked Haddock, Poached Egg, Spring Onion Hollandaise

Chef of the Year Award was presented to a chef I have admired for some time, Eamon O’Reilly of One Pico in Dublin. Next time you are in the city seek out his delicious food in Molesworth Place in the city centre.

There were a whole raft of other awards, four of which also came to Co. Cork. The Quality Hotel in Clonakilty, Co. Cork, owned by two local businessmen won the Family Friendly Hotel of the Year. According to Georgina “many happy families vote with their feet by heading back to this hotel, every year.”

The Natural Food Award went to Carmel Somers of Good Things Café in Durrus for “using the very best of fresh, seasonal and mainly local foods – and preparing them simply and with style, to showcase their natural goodness and the quality produce of the locality. There was also great excitement in Shanagarry – the Wine Award of the Year went to Ballymaloe House in Shanagarry much to the delight of Sommelier Colm McCan and wine consultant Sascha Whelan who have gone to extraordinary lengths to source special gems for the wine list. Many are exceptional value; some are unique to the list.

Another family business, Aherne’s Seafood Restaurant in Youghal, won the Seafood Circle Restaurant of the Year.

“Perfectly cooked fish and classic saucing are the hallmarks – but servings are impressively generous too, a point which won’t go unnoticed in these budget-conscious times. For the entire list of 2010 award winners see http://www.ireland-guide.com/award/index.php

So hats off to Georgina Campbell for flagging up this issue. Her advice to all of us is “to think twice before pushing restaurants and hotels beyond their limit” if for no other reason than enlightened self interest. After all we will no longer be able to enjoy our favourite places if they go out business – consumers need to think long and hard before pressing for even better bargains”

So how about a well deserved night out – support your favourite local restaurant otherwise they may have shut their doors next time you call.

One Pico Guinness Bread  

250g strong flour

250g pinhead oatmeal

200g wheat bran

125g wheat germ

½ can of treacle

1 can of Guinness or stout

3/4 tblesp bread soda

120ml milk

Mix all dry ingredients then slowly add in wet while continuing to mix place in two pre greased tins and bake at 160oc for 1 1/2 hours checking all the time please note fan assisted ovens vary times (*please watch accordingly) serve with crab salads or toasted with smoked salmon or simply toasted for breakfast.

(portion into 1/4 and freezes really well)

Brooklodge’s Grilled Organic Kerry Black Rib Eye Beef, Roast Portobello Mushrooms, Roquefort Cheese Crust – Red Wine Jus.

Due to the stalwart dedication of Raymonde Hilliard and others in protecting The Kerry Black Cow down through the years, we now have a sizeable herd in Ireland. And there are now regular occasions in the kitchen of The Strawberry Tree where we have the honour of serving this to our guests, here is one of our recipes. We use organic ingredients at Brooklodge.

 

4 x 200g Kerry black rib eye beef

4 x Portobello mushrooms

80g Roquefort cheese

1 onion

100g bread crumbs

80g butter

A few sprigs thyme, parsley and bay leaves

1 clove garlic

¼ bottle of red wine

½ litre of beef stock

salt and black pepper

Cheese Crust:

Soften the butter in a mixing bowl, add the cheese and whisk together, add bread crumbs, chopped garlic, parsley, thyme and ½ one onion add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Red wine Jus:

Slice the remaining ½ onion and cook in pan till caramelised, add red wine and bay leaf and reduce heat till a syrup, then add beef stock and reduce till sauce consistency, add salt and pepper to taste.

Roast the Portobello Mushrooms in the oven with a little butter, thyme salt & pepper. Grill the rib eyes in a grillette pan to your liking, add the cheese crust and then grill till crusty. Serve with the mushrooms and sauce.

 

Ahern’s Poached Turbot & Prawns with a Chablis Cream Sauce

200g fillet of turbot

5 cooked peeled fresh prawns

75 ml white wine

1 lemon

1 onion

75 ml cream

4 oz butter

Herbs: chives, coriander, parsley

Poach the fillet of turbot in wine, water, lemon wedges & herbs. When Turbot is cooked (opaque in colour), remove from liquid & reduce liquid to ½ of its volume, add a little cream and whisk in 4oz of butter. Replace the fillet of turbot in the sauce Add chopped herbs then serve with fresh parsley & lemon wedge …

Monkfish could be substituted for Turbot.

 

Campagne’s Deep Fried Smoked Haddock, Poached Egg, Spring Onion Hollandaise

4 portions

 

4 x 100 g portions natural smoked haddock

50 g flour

50 g egg white

100 g panko breadcrumbs

4 egg yolks

2 tbsp lemon juice

200 g clarified butter

½ bunch spring onion, very finely sliced

4 organic or free range eggs

mashed potato

For the haddock

Remove skin and any small bones from the fish dust lightly with the flour, remove the excess and then dip into the egg white, drain and dip into the breadcrumbs, coat evenly and place in fridge while preparing the poached eggs and sauce

Bring a pan of water to the boil add a dash of vinegar and poach the eggs to your liking, remove and keep warm

Place the butter in a pan and heat until melted and slightly warm

Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together over a very low heat until a sabayon forms and the egg yolks are thick but not scrambled, slowly add the melted butter a little at a time until it is all incorporated, season with salt and add the spring onion to serve. Warm the mashed potato and pipe onto warm plates. Deep fry the haddock at 180°C until golden brown, remove from fryer and season. Gently reheat the eggs and place on top of the mashed potato, placing the haddock beside it. Put a good tablespoon of sauce over the egg and serve immediately

One Pico Vanilla Cheese Cake Mousse with Berry Compote

 

serves 4

150g Philadelphia cream cheese

50g double cream

30g castor sugar

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

Squeeze of juice from 1/4  lemon (1 teaspoon)

 

For the topping

6 plain hobnob biscuits

25g sugar

 

Berry Compote

100gr frozen mixed berries

50gr castor sugar

 First make the berry compote by reducing berries and sugar to a thick compote by placing in a pan for 10 minutes set aside and cool. Now make the biscuit base.

Crush the biscuits to a rough crumble texture. Place the biscuit mix into a large pan, sprinkle with sugar and caramelise quickly for 5 minutes. Cool & set aside. Now make the cheese filling. Place the cream cheese, sugar and the seeds from the vanilla pod into a mixing bowl. Whisk on a low setting until it is mixed well. Now add the cream, a little at a time making sure there are no lumps. Then add the juice from ½ a lemon and whisk until the mixture starts to thicken. As soon as the mixture becomes thick turn the machine off. Place in a piping bag ready to pipe.

Firstly place compote in martini glass, then pipe in cheesecake mousse then top with caramelised biscuit

Brooklodge’s Marmalade Pudding

6 Portions

This is a recipe given to The Strawberry Tree by the wonderful Shirley Spear. Shirley runs the acclaimed Three Chimneys Restaurant on a remote corner of The Isle of Skye off Scotland. A fabulous Winter Pudding to warm you whether in Ireland or The Isles!

150g brown bread crumbs

120g light brown sugar

25g self raising wholemeal flour

120g butter

360g coarse cut marmalade

3 eggs

1tsp bicarbonate soda

1tsp boiling water

– Melt the butter and marmalade in a saucepan over a gentle heat.

– Mix the flour, bread crumbs and sugar and add to marmalade and butter.

– Whisk eggs till fluffy and gently beat into the marmalade mixture.

– Dissolve Bicarbonate with water and add to mixture.

– Pour into a 2lb pudding bowl, wrap tightly, put into saucepan of water and cover, bring to the boil & simmer for 2 – 2 1/2 hours.

 

Continuing our countdown to Christmas…

 

This week why not make a few homemade a few jams and chutneys to use as condiments over Christmas – they also make delicious edible gifts to give to your friends and will solve some of your Christmas present problems.

Apple and Tomato Chutney

Makes 10 x 1 lb (450 g) pots

7-8 lbs (3.2-3.4 kg) ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 lb (450 g) onions, chopped

1 lb (450 g) eating apples, peeled and chopped

3 lbs (1.35 kg) sugar

1 1/2 pints (900 ml) white malt vinegar

2 tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger

3 teaspoons ground black pepper

3 teaspoons all spice

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 level teaspoon cayenne pepper

8-12 oz (225-340 g) sultanas

Prepare all the ingredients. Put into a large wide stainless steel saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer steadily until reduce and slightly thick – 1 hour, approx. Pot in sterilized jars.

Beetroot Chutney

Delicious with cold meats and cheese, allow to mature for a couple of weeks before tucking in.

Makes 6 x 200ml (7fl oz) jars

900g (2 lbs) raw beetroot, peeled

450g (1 lb) onion, diced

450g (1 lb) cooking apples, peeled and diced

25g (1oz) grated ginger

1 teaspoon salt

600ml (1 pint) cider vinegar

350g (12oz) granulated sugar

Chop the beetroot finely. Put into a stainless steel saucepan with the diced onion and apples. Add the grated ginger, salt and vinegar.

Cover and simmer until the beetroot is soft and the apples have cooked to a fluff, approximately 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Add the sugar and cook until thick, 15 to 20 minutes.

Pot into sterilized jars and cover with non reactive lids. Store in a dark airy place.

 

 

HotTips

Great cookery classes at Brennans.

Ballymaloe Cookery School graduate Lucy Hyland and Chef Gary Masterson will teach a series of cookery classes that focus on super foods to help you feel great on the 23rd and 26th November, and at Thompson’s Farmshop, Carrigaline on the 17th November 2009. Cost per session is €55. See www.foodforliving.ie or contact Lucy on 086 8179964.Sage Café Deli

in Main Street, Youghal, where you can find delicious freshly baked brown bread, scones, cakes and good coffee from Cork Coffee Roasters (087) 7766322. Contact Joan Collins at Sage (024) 85844.Don’t miss the Listowel Food Fair

from the 5th to the 8th of November 2009. For details of the exciting programme of events go to www.listowelfoodfair.com

Halloween creates almost as much excitement as Christmas nowadays, for weeks shop windows have been packed with witches, broomsticks, pumpkins and scary masks to tantalise the kids. Our grandchildren and their friends can’t wait to dress up in witches attire and ghoulish rig outs to frighten the life out of their neighbours and extract a ‘trick or treat’.

Even though it’s all becoming very commercial, kids still love the old fashioned games as well as apple bobbing and pumpkin carving. Another favourite game was to arrange five saucers on the table, put some clay in one, water in another, a wedding ring in another, a rag in the fourth and a coin in the fifth. One after another we were blindfolded, and the plates were switched about before we reached out tentatively, to inevitable giggles – the water meant that you were going “on a journey”, the coin meant untold riches were coming your way, the rag signified hard times ahead, the soil was also bad news, it meant you’d be six feet under before long but the ring meant that wedding bells would soon ring, even if you were only six!

You can always lure the little witches and goblins into the kitchen to cook. They love to make popcorn and spooky sounding soups like ‘Dragons blood’ (aka tomato soup) or spicy bones (spare ribs) can keep them interested and nibbling. Spiders web buns are also a great favourite and involve icing which is always a great hit with both boys and girls – don’t worry about the mess!

Buy a couple of pumpkins and you’ll have several hours of peace, but keep an eye out while they carve and make sure to save the pulp to make a pumpkin soup.

Dragon’s Blood

Tomato Soup with Pesto Crostini

Serves 5

The soup is a scary red colour hence the name, especially for Halloween.

We worked for a long time to try and make this soup reasonably foolproof. Good quality tinned tomatoes (another must for your store cupboard), give a really good result. Homemade tomato puree although delicious can give a more variable result depending on the quality of the tomatoes.

 

2 x 14 oz (400g) tins of tomatoes, liquidised and sieved

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 oz (15g) butter

8 fl ozs (250ml) Bechamel sauce (see recipe)

8 fl ozs (250ml) homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

4 fl ozs (120ml) cream

Pesto – see below

6 crostini made from 1/3 inch (5mm) thick slices of thin French bread cooked in olive oil until crisp and pale golden

Sweat the onion in the butter on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured. Add the chopped tinned tomatoes plus juice, white sauce and homemade chicken stock. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes.

Liquidise, taste, dilute further if necessary. Bring back to the boil, correct seasoning add a little cream if necessary.

Put a little blob of Pesto on 6 freshly cooked crostini and drop one into each serving.

Note: This soup needs to be tasted carefully as the final result depends on the quality of the tomato puree, stock etc.

Béchamel Sauce

1 pint (300 ml) milk

Few slices of carrot

Few slices of onion

3 peppercorns

Small sprig of thyme

Small sprig of parsley

1½ozs (45 g) roux

Salt and freshly ground pepper

This is a wonderfully quick way of making Béchamel Sauce if you have roux already made. Put the cold milk into a saucepan with the carrot, onion, peppercorns, thyme and parsley. Bring to the boil, simmer for 4-5 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain out the vegetables, bring the milk back to the boil and thicken to a light coating consistency by whisking in roux. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, taste and correct seasoning if necessary.

Halloween Pumpkin Soup with Rosemary Oil

Serves 6

50g (2oz) butter

150g (5oz) chopped potatoes, one-third inch dice

110g (4oz) peeled diced onions, one-third inch dice

350g (12oz) chopped pumpkin, one-third inch dice

1.2L (2pints) homemade chicken stock or 1L (1 3/4 pints) stock and 150ml (1/4 pint) creamy milk

3 tablespoons rosemary, chopped

Rosemary Oil

4fl ozs (100ml) extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When it foams, add potatoes and onions and turn them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile make the rosemary oil:

Heat the chopped rosemary with the oil until hot but not smoking. Cool and strain.

Add the vegetables and stock to the saucepan with the potatoes and onions. Boil until soft, do not overcook or the vegetables will lose their flavour. Liquidise with the chopped rosemary. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

To Serve

Drizzle a little rosemary oil over each bowl of soup before serving.

Spicy Bones

Adapted from “Barbeque, Where There’s Smoke, There’s Flavour” by Eric Treuille & Birgit Erath”

Serves 8

1.8kg (4lbs) meaty preferably organic pork spare ribs

2 tablespoons sunflower

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 teaspoons of ginger, grated

175g (6ozs) finely chopped onion

125ml (4floz) pineapple juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce, Nam Pla

3 tablespoons tomato purée

4 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

6 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

Ask the butcher to cut the ribs across horizontally into two strips. Divide each piece into individual short ribs.

Put the ribs into a deep saucepan and cover with cold water, add salt and bring to the boil. Skim and then simmer for 30-40 minutes or until tender. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again, allow to cool.

Heat the sunflower oil in a saucepan and add the crushed garlic, grated ginger and chopped onion, cover and cook on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured. Add the pineapple juice, fish sauce, tomato purée, lime or lemon juice, honey and 2 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce. Simmer for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens, then put into a large bowl and allow to cool. Add in the ribs and toss until completely coated (hands are best for this).

Place under a hot grill for 10 – 15 minutes, basting and turning frequently until golden, transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with a little more sweet chilli sauce and serve the sweet and sticky ribs. You’ll need lots of paper napkins!

 

 

Halloween Barnbrack – Gluten Free

A simple and totally delicious barnbrack – suitable for Coeliacs or those with a wheat intolerance. This loaf keeps very well and is delicious cut into slices spread with butter. Hide a ring, pea, stick or a coin in the mixture for extra excitement at Halloween.

Makes 1 loaf

75g (3oz) sultanas

75g (3oz) raisins

75g (3oz) currants

40g (1½oz) cherries, halved

40g (1½oz) candied peel, chopped (preferably homemade)

200ml (7fl oz) tea

1 egg, lightly beaten, preferably free-range

150g (5oz) soft brown sugar

175g (6oz) rice flour

50g (2oz) cornflour

1½teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

1 level teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon mixed spice

3 tablespoons milk

3-4 tablespoons Stock Syrup – boil 2 tablespoons sugar with 2 tablespoons water

1 x 1kg (2lb) loaf tin, lined with parchment paper

Soak the fruit in cold tea overnight

.

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

Next day, add the lightly beaten egg and sugar to the fruit and tea and stir together well. Sift the rice flour, cornflour, gluten-free baking powder, xanthan gum and mixed spice together. Add to the fruit mixture and stir well.

Wrap the charms individually in greaseproof paper and hide in the mixture.

Gently mix in the 3 tablespoons of milk and pour into the prepared loaf tin. Cook in the preheated oven for 11/4 hours approximately until a skewer comes out of the loaf clean. Brush with stock syrup (if using) so the top and sides are sticky and delicious. Cool on a wire rack. Serve out in slices with a little butter.

 

Chocolate Spider Web Buns

 

Makes 24

 

225g (8 oz) butter, chopped

225g (8oz) castor sugar

225g (2oz) cocoa powder or drinking chocolate

285g (10oz) white flour

4 eggs, free range and organic

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Dark Chocolate Icing

 

170g (6oz) icing sugar

55g (2oz) cocoa powder

85g (3oz) butter

70ml (3fl oz) water

110g (4 oz) castor sugar

110g (4oz) white chocolate

 

2 bun trays

 

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Chop up the butter into small dice, it should be reasonably soft. Put all the ingredients into the food processor and whizz for about 30 seconds. Clear the sides down with a spatula and whizz again until the consistency is nice and creamy, 30 seconds approximately. Put into greased and floured bun trays or paper cases and bake in the hot oven. Reduce the temperature to 190C/375F/gas mark 5 as soon as they begin to rise. Bake for 20 minutes in total approximately. Cool on a wire rack and decorate as desired.

 

Meanwhile, make the chocolate icing. Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Measure the butter, water and sugar into a saucepan. Set over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter is melted. Bring just to the boil, then draw off the heat and pour at once into the sifted ingredients. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and glossy. It will thicken as it cools.

Melt the white chocolate gently in a Pyrex bowl over hot but not simmering water. Ice the top of each bun with chocolate icing. Pipe a circle of white chocolate on top of the dark chocolate icing, then pull the icing up and down with the tip of a cocktail stick so the pattern resembles a spiders web.

 

 

Witches’ Toffee Popcorn

 

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

75g (3oz) popcorn

25g (1oz) butter

25g (1oz) brown sugar

1 generous tablespoon golden syrup

pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the popcorn and swirl the pan to coat the popcorn in oil. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and the corn should start to pop in a couple of minutes. Make the toffee coating by melting 25g (1oz) butter in a small saucepan. Then add 25g (1oz) brown sugar and 1 generous tablespoon golden syrup and stir over a high heat for ½ to 1 minute until thick. As soon as the popcorn starts popping (after 5 – 7 minutes) take the saucepan off the heat. Pour the toffee over the popcorn, put the lid on the pan and shake to mix. Pour out into little bowls and cool before serving.

 

Thrifty Tip

Keep the scooped out pulp from carving Halloween pumpkins to make soup.

Continuing Our Countdown to Christmas.

Last week I used my mother’s Christmas cake recipe, this week I will use my mother-in-law Myrtle Allen’s recipe. Closer to the big day I will give you a recipe for a lighter Christmas cake that can be made a few days before.

Myrtle Allen’s Christmas Cake

Approximately 20 slices

The first Christmas cake is rich and moist, it keeps until Easter anyway, I can tell you that, but there my experiment ended!

 

1 cup/225g (8oz) butter softened

1 cup/225g (8oz) brown sugar

1 ¾ cup/225g (8oz) flour

4 eggs preferably organic free-range

½ cup / 55g (2oz) almonds

¼ cup / 60ml rum or brandy

1 ½ cups / 225g (8oz) currants

1 ½ cups / 225g (8oz) sultanas

¾ cup /100g (3 ½ oz) raisins

¾ cup / 100g (3 ½ oz) glace raisins

¾ cup / 100g (3 ½ oz) chopped candied peel

1 lemon

1 orange

 

Blanch, peel and chop almonds. Grate orange and lemon rinds very finely without any white pith. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and white. Add the sifted flour and eggs alternately, beating well then add fruit and other ingredients. Put into a greased and lined tin. Bake for ½ an hour in a moderate oven 170°/325°F/Mark 3. Then reduce to 150°C/300°F/Mark 2 and bake for a further 3 hours approximately watching carefully towards the end. Keep in a tight tin in a larder or unheated room until about 12 days before Christmas when you can ice the cake.

 

 

 

 

^{Hot Tips}

Pumpkins galore

– if you want to find a pumpkin David and Siobhan Barry, Ballintubber Farm have a terrific selection at the Midleton Farmers Market today. Contact 086 8238187.The Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore

, Co Waterford is hosting a wine tasting dinner with Rocca delle Macie from Tuscany, Italy on Friday 6^{th November 2009 to book a wine tasting dinner, bed and breakfast package or just the dinner phone 024 87800 or visit www.thecliffhousehotel.com}

A new Farmers Market has opened in Limerick

contact Gareth Granville 0868069605

^{www.thecrescentfarmersmarket.comHow about an early Christmas presie}

– learn how to choose, serve and get the most from your wine at a one Day ‘Wine Course for the Festive Season’ with John McDonnell & Colm McCan on Saturday 5th December at Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry – to book 021 4652531 at the Crescent Shopping Centre -every Wednesday from 9:30am to 2:30pm. Over 20 exciting stalls to choose from.

This year we have had our best crop of aubergines ever in the greenhouse. Our Black Pearl and Falcon plants from Vitalis Organic Seeds have produced with a vengeance. Aubergine plants grow to a height of about 2ft and have beautiful grey, g

reen leaves, and pretty purple flowers.
Aubergines are not a vegetable that appeal to everyone at first but after a few encounters the earthy flavour can become addictive. There are many more varieties besides the dark purple we are familiar with. They may be cream, wine or green striped. We have also grown a pale lavender variety called Asian Bride which is very beautiful. Anyone who has seen the white egg shaped variety will know why they are also called eggplants.
I find the slimmer varieties have the most flavour and are favoured by many cooks. As in all of nature there are male and female plants, and you can tell the difference by appearance. The male is more rounded at the end, the female more pointed. The female aubergine tends to have more seeds. Slight bitterness is one of the characteristics of aubergines – the males are less bitter than the females – a flavour some find off-putting at first but soon grow to love. Aubergines are enormously versatile, they can be grilled, barbequed, roasted, stuffed, sautéed or steamed as in Madhur Jaffrey’s Steamed Aubergines with a Peanut Dressing where the texture becomes meltingly tender. When I char them over a gas flame until the skins are blackened the interior flesh takes on an irresistible smoky flavour. Aubergines are a favourite ingredient in the Middle East, Indian and Mediterranean repertoire of recipes. They make delicious fritters and marry well with the gutsy flavours of the Mediterranean anchovies, olives, garlic and of course roast peppers and tomatoes and herbs like oregano and basil. The grape aubergines which look like a bunch of grapes are also delicious in Thai curries, but if you can’t find those just dice one of the larger ones.  If the aubergines are large, one can draw out the moisture and bitterness by salting first. To prepare aubergines, cut or slice the aubergines into slices or cubes, sprinkle with dairy salt or sea salt, toss and drain the slices by standing upright in an oven rack on a roasting tin. The cubes should be put into a colander and allowed to drain for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove, dry each piece well and continue with the recipe. Vitalis Seeds www.europrise.ie.  

Aubergine Fritters

These are delicious as a snack or served with roast lamb – courgettes work very well also.

1 – 2 aubergines cut into 5mm (¼ in) slices
salt

Batter

125g (good 4oz) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg preferably free range organic
1 tablespoon olive oil
about 150ml (1/4 pt) water

First salt the aubergine slices for 15 minutes, drain and dry well. Meanwhile make the batter.
Whisk the ingredients together, adding extra water if necessary. Dip the slices of aubergines into the batter and fry them in 1cm (1/2 in) of extra virgin olive oil. This may sound expensive but fritters cooked in olive oil have an extra good flavour and crispness. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

Rose Gray’s and Ruth Rogers’ Caponata

Taken from the new River Café Classic Italian Cookbook published by Penguin Books.

There are as many ways to make caponata as there are cooks in Sicily. The basis of caponata is the popular aubergine, and the dish evolves according to what other vegetables you wish to include. All caponatas have wine vinegar as part of the seasoning and most include capers, olives and pine nuts. This recipe has celery as its other strong flavour, which makes a light, refreshing version.

For 6

1 large round, pale aubergine, about 12cm in diameter, or 2 medium round, pale aubergines
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 whole heads of celery, with leaves
1 large red onion, peeled
2 ripe plum tomatoes or 3 drained from a tin
extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
2 dried red chillies, crumbled
3 tablespoons black Ligurian olives, stoned and kept whole
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed, then soaked in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons mint leaves, washed
6 slices of sourdough bread

Cut the aubergine into 1.5cm cubes and place in a colander. Sprinkle with sea salt and drain for 30 minutes. Wash off the salt and pat dry.
Cut the tender white part of the celery into 2cm lengths. Put them into a pan, cover with water, add 1 teaspoon of sea salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 3 minutes, then drain. Cut the onion into fine slices and peel and core the tomatoes, then chop them into 1cm pieces. Heat 3–4 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan, and add the aubergine pieces in batches so that they just cover the bottom of the pan. Fry over a medium high heat for about 5 minutes, turning the pieces over until brown on all sides. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat this process; you may need to use extra olive oil if it has all been absorbed in the first batch. Wipe the pan clean and return it to the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the onion. Reduce
the heat and gently soften the onion until it becomes golden; this will take 10 minutes. Add the garlic and celery, and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, to combine the flavours. Season with pepper and crumble in the chillies. Add the tomato pieces and just let them warm up in the mixture, but not really cook, then stir in the aubergines. Cook all the vegetables together briefly for 5 minutes. Test for seasoning and stir in the olives, pine nuts and the capers including the vinegar they have been soaking in. Finally, chop the mint and stir it into the mixture with a drizzle of sweet
extra virgin olive oil. Toast the bread on both sides to make bruschetta, and serve with the caponata.

Madhur Jaffrey’s Steamed Aubergines with a Peanut Dressing

Serves 4-6

Madhur Jaffrey introduced us to this delectable aubergine recipe from Northern China. It can be served as a starter or as an accompanying vegetable or as a salad. It goes particularly well with cold meats. Madhur urged us to seek out long slim variety of aubergines rather than the larger seedy ones.  She has lots of delicious recipes for this versatile vegetable in her cookbooks.

560g (1¼ lb) aubergines
50g (2oz) raw peanuts, roasted and ground to a paste in a clean coffee-grinder or 3 tablespoons freshly made peanut butter from a health food shop
50 ml (2fl oz) Chinese light soy sauce
25 ml (1fl oz) Chinese red vinegar (use red wine vinegar as a substitute
15 ml (1fl oz) sugar (use a bit more, if needed)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine
15 ml (1fl oz) sesame oil
15 ml (1fl oz) garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
15 ml (1fl oz) fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
2 tablespoons green coriander, very finely chopped, both leaves and stems, plus a few extra green coriander sprigs for garnishing

If the aubergines are the long, slim variety, quarter them lengthways, and then cut them into 7.5cm (3inch) long fingers.  If using the more common, fat aubergine, cut it into fingers that are 7.5 x 2.5cm (3inch x 1inch).  Steam over a high heat for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, combine all the remaining ingredients except the green coriander in a bowl and mix well.  This is the sauce.
When the aubergine pieces are tender, lift them out carefully and arrange them neatly in a single layer in a large platter.  Stir the sauce.  Add the green coriander to it and mix again.  Pour the sauce evenly over the aubergines.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.  This dish may be prepared ahead of time, covered and refrigerated.  Garnish with the green coriander sprigs just before serving.

Rick Stein’s Aubergine Curry with Tomatoes, Ginger and Fennel Seeds

If you can get them, use ‘finger’ aubergines for this. They are shaped rather like small courgettes and hold their shape well during cooking. This is a simple curry, but interesting as it uses a lot of fennel seeds, a common flavour in Bangladeshi food. Incidentally, they call them aniseed there, but they are not because I wondered into a kitchen in Sylhet and tried them.
As through India, as indeed in some Indian restaurants in the UK, sugar-coated fennel seeds are offered at the end of a meal as a breath freshener and digestive.

This recipe is from Rick Stein’s great new book ‘Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey’ published by BBC books.

600g aubergines, ideally Asian finger aubergines
150ml vegetable oil
40 g fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
40g garlic, roughly chopped
2 green cayenne chillies, finely chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp freshly ground coriander seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
400g chopped tomatoes, fresh or from a can
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp each chopped fresh coriander and mint

Top and tail the aubergines and cut in half lengthways. If using larger Mediterranean-style aubergines, cut each one across in half and then each piece lengthways into 6 – 8 wedges. Toss them with ½ tsp salt and set aside in a colander for 10 minutes. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Pour the oil into a shallow dish. Brush the aubergine pieces, a few at a time, with oil, put them in the frying pan and cook for 3 – 4 minutes on each side until richly browned. Cooking the aubergines in this way helps prevent them from absorbing too much oil, which would make the finished dish greasy. Set aside in a bowl and repeat with the remaining aubergines. Put the ginger, garlic and chilli into a mini food processor with 2 – 3 tbsp water and whizz to a smooth paste. Put 2 tbsp of the remaining of the remaining oil into the frying pan and add the fennel and cumin seeds. Leave them to sizzle for a few seconds, then add the ginger and garlic paste and leave this to fry for a further 2 -3  minutes. Add the coriander and turmeric, fry for 1 minute, and then add the tomatoes, black pepper, 3 tbsp water and ½ tbsp salt. Cover and leave to simmer for 8 – 10 minutes until reduced and thickened slightly. Return the fried aubergine slices to the pan and stir well to coat in the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the fresh coriander and mint and serve.

Continuing our Count Down to Christmas…
My Favourite Christmas Cake

This makes a moist cake which keeps very well. It can either be made months ahead or, if you are frenetically busy then it will still be delish even if made just a few days before Christmas – believe me I know!. If you make it this week it will mature beautifully between now and Christmas. I will give instructions and suggestions on how to ice closer to Christmas.

Serves about 40

110g (4oz) real glacé cherries
50g (2oz) whole almonds
350g (12oz) best-quality sultanas
350g (12oz) best-quality currants
350g (12oz) best-quality raisins
110g (4oz) homemade candied peel
50g (2oz) ground almonds
zest of 1 organic unwaxed lemon
zest of 1 organic unwaxed orange
60ml (21⁄2 fl oz) Irish whiskey
225g (8oz) butter
225g (8oz) pale, soft-brown sugar or golden caster sugar
6 organic eggs
275g (10oz) flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 large or 2 small Bramley seedling apples, grated

Line the base and sides of a 23cm (9 inch) round, or 20cm (8 inch) square tin with a double thickness of silicone paper. Then tie a double layer of brown paper around the outside of the tin. Have a sheet of brown or silicone paper to lay on top of the tin during cooking.

Wash the cherries and dry them gently. Cut in two or four as desired. Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then rub off the skins and chop them finely. Mix the dried fruit, nuts, ground almonds and grated orange and lemon zest. Add about half of the whiskey and leave for 1 hour to macerate.

Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 325°F/gas mark 3.

Cream the butter until very soft. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs and add in bit by bit, beating well between each addition so that the mixture doesn’t curdle. Mix the mixed spice with the flour and stir gently into the butter mixture. Add the grated cooking apple to the plumped up fruit and stir into the butter mixture gently but thoroughly (don’t beat the mixture again or you will toughen the cake).

Put the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Make a slight hollow in the centre, dip your hand in water and pat it over the surface of the cake – this will ensure that the top is smooth when cooked.

Now lay a double sheet of brown paper on top of the cake to protect the surface from the direct heat. Bake for 1 hour. Then reduce the heat to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 and bake for a further 21⁄2 hours, until cooked; test in the centre with a skewer – it should come out completely clean. Pour the remainder of the whiskey over the cake and leave it to cool in the tin.

Next day, remove the cake from the tin. Do not remove the lining paper but wrap the cake in some extra greaseproof paper and tin foil until required.

Store in a cool, dry place; the longer the cake is stored the more mature it will be.

Hottips
Everyone at O’Connell’s Restaurant in Ballsbridge in Dublin was celebrating last week; they have just been awarded The “Just Ask!” Georgina Campbell Restaurant of the Month Award for October 2009. This brilliant concept is a public awareness campaign that aims to encourage consumers when eating out to look for information on where the food (particularly meat) on their plate comes from and to encourage chefs to provide this information on their menus. O’Connells Restaurant, Ballsbridge – telephone 01 665 5940.
Cork Free Choice Consumer Group – Learn ‘How To Make Sourdough Bread’ A step by step demonstration and explanation by Declan Ryan of Arbutus Breads at the Crawford Art Gallery Cafe at 7.30pm on Thursday 29th October Admission €6.00 including tea, coffee and tastings. For further information contact Caroline Robinson on 021-7330178.

Good Things Café and Cookery School in Durrus. Carmel Somers’ new season schedule has just been published and includes lots of tempting cookery courses. Everyone loves the informative and convivial atmosphere. Telephone 027 61426 – www.thegoodthingscafe.com

Pizza Workshop at Ballymaloe Cookery School on Friday 30th October 2:00 to 5:00pm. Philip Dennhardt has built up a cult following for his pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven. Learn how to make the dough, shape the pizza and make a variety of sauces and toppings €85.00. Tel 021 4646785 www.cookingisfun.ie

I haven’t been to Wales for so long; I’d forgotten how easy it is to get there. Just throw a few things into the car, pack a picnic and head for Rosslare. The ferry to Fishguard takes three and a half hours, and even

though it’s quite a short time it’s worth considering taking a cabin for €39.00 (sleeps two) so you arrive fresh as a daisy. We were on our way to Holden’s Organic farm near Lampeter to do a cheese making course. First we detoured 20 minutes south of Fishguard to Porthgain in search of a little seafood restaurant called The Shed. We found it on the harbours edge and had delicious fish, spanking fresh crab, mussels, and grey sea mullet. It was a pity about the squidgy bread and bought mayonnaise. The pretty waitress was a mine of information! She appeared to have no idea about the village, the story of the restaurant or where the local cheese came from. The cheese I discovered later was Caerphilly, Wales’ most famous cheese!
After lunch, we made our way up hills and down dales through forest and woodland and village after village with unpronounceable names, eventually arrived at Bwlchwernen Fawr Organic Dairy Farm. The Ayrshire cows that provide milk for the cheese were grazing contentedly in the fields. Up to four years ago Sam and Rachel Holden were immersed in the corporate world in London; Rachel was a press officer for Sainsbury’s and Sam was account manager for a small graphic design company. Through a series of events they decided to return to the family farm in Wales to oversee the renovation of the farmhouse. As luck would have it Randolph Hodgson of Neal’s Yard Dairy brought a group of UK farmhouse cheese-makers to see the dairy herd. Sam’s father Patrick Holden director of the Soil Association had harboured an aspiration to add value to their beautiful milk by making a cheese but didn’t quite know quite how to go about it. After the cheese-makers visit, he asked Sam whether he might consider taking on the project, after initial discussion with his wife Rachel they decided to take the plunge. They borrowed a ton of money and spent four months learning and visiting cheese-makers. A new fully equipped dairy was built and on August 26th 2007 Sam and Rachel made their first batch of cheddar. They continued to make cheese twice a week through out the year without even having tasted the fruit of their labours – it was a year later before they could sample the mature cheese. What a leap of faith and extraordinary courage. To their immense relief the cheese was really good and well received. They decided to call it ‘Hafod’ (pronounced Havod) which means Summer pasture in Welsh. Randolph Hodgson of Neal’s Yard Dairy, the iconic cheese shop in London tasted, approved and decided to stock it alongside the legendary English cheddars, Montgomery, Keens, Westcombe and Isle of Mull.
On 25th June 2008 Prince Charles came to officially open the dairy as a beacon of local enterprise. Now they are beginning to offer cheese making courses to pass on their skills to others who have an interest in this.
It takes two days milk to fill the vat so the cheese is made from a mixture of morning and evening milk. In comparison to most other cheese, cheddar making is immensely laboursome in the initial stage but once it is made, moulded and pressed there is little store work in the way of handling and turning. It just slumbers away on timber shelves in the cheese ‘cave’ at 10°C for a year to 18 months under the watchful eye of Sam and Rachel who turn it every five weeks. We were also shown how to make a simple soft cheese and a Jarlesberg (a mild cow’s milk Norwegian cheese)
The day cheese making course, including a delicious lunch of Welsh cawl, Hafod Cheddar and salad followed by homemade cakes and tea and coffee costs just £70.00
Soil association members get the discounted price of £57.50.
Quite incredible value for money. Sam and Rachel were enormously generous with their information and were passionate about passing on their knowledge and skills. They also had a very experienced French cheese-making student called Marie Decherf working with them who is presently on a tour of farmhouse cheese-makers in UK and Ireland. She was on her way to spend two months working with and learning from Jaffa Gill who makes the award winning Durrus Cheese on her farm outside the village of the same name in West Cork.
The following day we visited the Brecon Beacons Food Fair and bought several Welsh cheeses, Welsh cakes, pickled samphire and cob nuts.
The local Welsh Male Choir was in full voice at the end of market hall.
There was lots of salt marsh lamb and Welsh mutton from Elan Valley for sale and some quite spectacular bread made by young artisan baker Alex Gooch – his family made three deliveries of bread to the festival and sold it as fast as they could bake it.
We also visited Penpont self catering cottages beside Penpont House, cottages and farm shop, in the middle of an organic estate, a really special place to stay, close to Brecon.
Also in that area is another of my favourite pubs with comfy rooms and a menu of delicious local foods – The Felin Fach Griffin Inn.

To book a cheese making course at Bwlchwernen Fawr Organic Dairy Farm telephone Sam and Rachel Holden on
00 44 1570 493283 or email rachel@hafodcheese.co.uk  or visit their website www.hafodcheese.co.uk Hafod Cheese

www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk Neals Yard Dairy
www.eatdrinksleep.ltd.uk/index.htm Felin Fach Griffin Inn
www.durruscheese.com Durrus Farmhouse Cheese
www.foodloversbritain.com/members/Alex-Gooch-Organics Alex Gooch Organics
www.penpont.com  Penpont House and Self Catering Cottages

Welsh Cawl

A comforting meal in itself, you’ll want to tuck into several bowlfuls on chilly Autumn days or after a long walk in the countryside. Both collar of bacon and neck of lamb are inexpensive and delicious.

Serves 10

750g (1 ½ lb) collar of bacon
750g (1 ½ lb) neck of lamb
3 stalks celery sliced
3 – 4 carrots peeled and sliced
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 cloves
3 white turnips peeled and quartered
A bouquet garni of parsley stalks, thyme and a bay leaf
3 – 4 litres (6 ½ pints) water
2 leeks
450g (1lb) baby carrots if available, other wise peel, quarter and cut into chunks
700g (1 ½ lbs) small new potatoes or ¼ larger ones
350 g (12 oz) green cabbage cut in ¾ inch strips
lots of chopped parsley

Put the bacon, lamb, celery stalks, carrots, onion, peppercorns, cloves, white turnips, the green part of leeks and bouquet garni into a deep saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Skim and continue to simmer for one and half hours, skimming regularly. Slice the white part of the leeks and add to the pot with remainder of the vegetables, except the cabbage, cook for a further 15 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook for a further 5 minutes or until both the meat and vegetables are fully cooked. Remove the bacon and lamb and cut into rough chunks, return to the pot, taste and correct the seasoning. Ladle into wide, deep soup bowls. Scatter with lots of chopped parsley and enjoy.

Cyrus Todiwala’s Mutton Coriander Gosht

(Executive chef, Café Spice Namaste) – taken from Renaissance Mutton booklet
www.muttonrenaissance.org.uk

Mutton is used in many Indian style dishes commonly served in the UK. This simple dish can form part of an Indian feast or serve on its own with steamed rice or naan bread.
Serves 4
550g (1/4 lb) diced leg of mutton
3 onions, roughly chopped
15ml (1 tablespoon) ginger, finely chopped
30ml (2 tablespoons) coriander seeds
15ml (1 tablespoon) cumin seeds
1 whole dried red chilli, cut into 3 pieces
Cinnamon stick, 5cm (2inch) piece
4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped or I can of chopped tomatoes
600ml (1 pint) hot, good lamb stock
60ml (4 teaspoons) fresh coriander, chopped
75ml (5 tablespoon) vegetable or corn oil

In a frying pan, roast the whole chilli and cinnamon stick over a low heat until light brown. Set aside to cool. Repeat with the cumin and coriander seeds then crush with the cinnamon and chilli in a pestle and mortar until you get a crushed peppercorn consistency. Heat the oil in heavy-based pan on a high heat. Add the mutton and seal well. Maintaining the heat, add the red chillies and cinnamon and stir-fry for one minute. Add the onions and stir fry for a couple of minutes on a medium heat and add enough stock to just cover the mutton. Keep the pan covered, add the salt and simmer the mutton for 1 hour. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further hour or until the mutton is tender and the gravy is thick. If there is too much liquid after the first hour, remove the lid for the final stage of cooking. Before serving check the seasoning then stir in the fresh coriander.

Welsh Cakes

I bought a bag of bag of delicious Welsh cakes from a cheery lady on a stall at the Brecon Beacons Food Fair. This is a delicious recipe – Welsh cakes are best made with a mixture of lard and butter but use all butter if good lard is unavailable.

Makes 24

450g (1 lb) white flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon mace
110g (4oz) butter
110g (4oz) lard
175g (6oz) castor sugar
¼ lb currants, sultanas or raisins
2 eggs preferably free range organic
milk
caster sugar for dipping

Put the flour, salt, baking powder, and mace into a bowl, rub in the butter and lard add the sugar and dried fruit and mix well, whisk the eggs and add just enough milk to bind.
Roll out thinly and stamp into ¼ inch rounds with a 2 ½ inch cutter.
Heat a heavy frying pan or griddle. Grease with a little butter and cook the Welsh cakes for 2 to 3 minutes each side. Remove and dip in sugar. Best eaten warm.

Continuing our countdown to Christmas

This week I share the recipe for my mother’s plum pudding with you. It was always the tradition in our house to eat the first plum pudding on the evening it was made.   The grandchildren could hardly contain themselves with excitement – somehow that first plum pudding seemed the most delicious, it was our first taste of Christmas.   The plum pudding can be made from about mid-November onwards. Everyone in the family helped to stir so we could all make a wish.

It’s fun to put silver plum pudding charms in the pudding destined to be eaten on Christmas Day.  Wrap them individually in silicone paper so they are bulky and clearly visible.

Mummy’s Plum Pudding

This recipe makes 2 large or 3 medium puddings.  The large size will serve 10-12 people, the medium 6-8 but I also like to make teeny weeny ones.

12 ozs (350g) raisins
12 ozs (350g) sultanas
12 ozs (350g) currants
12 ozs (350g) brown sugar
12 ozs (350g) white breadcrumbs (non GM)
12 ozs (350g) finely-chopped beef suet (preferably home-made)
4 ozs (110g) diced candied peel (preferably home-made)
2 Bramley cooking apples, coarsely grated
4 ozs (110g) chopped almonds
rind of 1 lemon
3 pounded cloves (½ teaspoon)
a pinch of salt
6 eggs
2 1/2 fl ozs (62ml) Jamaica Rum

Mix all the ingredients together very thoroughly and leave overnight; don’t forget, everyone in the family must stir and make a wish!  Next day stir again for good measure.  Fill into pudding bowls; cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper which has been pleated in the centre, and tie it tightly under the rim with cotton twine, making a twine handle also for ease of lifting.

Steam in a covered saucepan of boiling water for 6 hours.  The water should come half way up the side of the bowl.  Check every hour or so and top up with boiling water if necessary.  After 5 hours, 3 hours, 2 hours depending on the size, remove the pudding.   Allow to get cold and re-cover with fresh greaseproof paper.  Store in a cool dry place until required.

On Christmas Day or whenever you wish to serve the plum pudding, steam for a further 2 hours.  Turn the plum pudding out of the bowl onto a very hot serving plate, pour over some whiskey or brandy and ignite.  Serve immediately on very hot plates.

Hot Tips
Savour Kilkenny Festival kicks off on Friday 23rd October and runs until Monday 26th October with a list of exciting events to attend. To see the programme, visit www.savourkilkenny.com

Glebe Gardens course schedule is available for winter 2009 / 2010 and includes ‘Composting and mulching – putting the garden to bed for the winter’ on Sunday 18th October and ‘Salads all Year Round’ Sunday 1st November, both courses cost €60.00 including lunch. To book and for information about further courses, phone: 028 20232 or email glebegardens@gmail.com

A Pizza Heaven – Ballymaloe Cookery School. Learn how to make the perfect pizza with lots of unusual and delicious toppings with Philip Dennhardt. Hendrik Lepel will also give a talk about how to build and maintain your own pizza oven in your back garden. Friday 30th October 2:00pm to 5:00pm. Booking essential 021 4646785 or www.cookingisfun.ie

September was all about school books, bags and uniforms and trying to find digs. Children were apprehensive and excited, parents usually relieved and comfortable to be back into a routine. For many it’s the most expensive time of the year, the following weeks feel a bit like January where everyone tightens the belt for a while to recover from the extra expense. As soon as the younger ones have settled in, it’s time to concentrate on getting the older ones off to college, scramble for places, and scramble for digs – how will they survive on their students’ budget? Will they feed themselves properly or will it all go on beer – worse still have they any idea how to shop or to knock a meal together with a few inexpensive ingredients. It would be worth buying a copy book to start a survival kit to record recipes and a few basic shopping tips. Teach the kids how to judge when food is safe to eat by using their eyes, nose and sense of taste, rather than relying merely on use-by dates. Add a list of what’s in season – it’ll be better and cheaper then and far more wholesome and nutritious. Teach them how to make a big bowl of porridge, and maybe a scrambled egg, basic muesli and a smoothie to kick start the day.
In the UK many students and others have also got very clever about collecting out of date – but still perfectly good – supermarket produce, before it is dumped. There is even a name ‘freegans’ very enterprising and at least it reduces waste and benefits those in need. Students about to embark on the new adventure of housekeeping and cooking for themselves need a basic kit, so family presents could include a grater, whisk, chopping board, a wok, a decent saucepan or two, a non-stick frying pan, vegetable peeler, a few knives, Bamix and a simple reliable cookbook. There are several but I have just come across a new publication – From Pasta to Pancakes – The Ultimate Student Cookbook. Coincidentally it’s been written by a vivacious past student, Tiffany Goodall, but proud as I am my of ‘babies’ that is not reason enough for me to wax lyrical about something unless I reckon it’s really worthwhile.
Even when Tiffany was in her early teens, she knew she wanted to cook, she landed a job at her local fish and chip shop ‘Fishers’ in Fulham. Life at university was fast and furious and she soon discovered that being able to cook was one the easiest ways to win friends and influence people. Breakfast with Tiffany and Tiff’s Tuesday and Tiff’s weekends became legendary.
The latter began in her second year at Newcastle University where she was studying business after she had a few people round for supper one Tuesday. Her friends asked if they all chipped in a fiver for ingredients could they continue this on a regular basis and it was a done deal.
Since graduating from the Ballymaloe Cookery School Tiffany has combined writing with guest appearances on BBC Market Kitchen and demonstrations for Marks and Spencers, the Home and Garden Show and Chanel 4’s Taste Festival in London and Bath. Plus her first cookbook written by a student who is realistic about what it’s like to be leaving home and facing up to the prospect of cooking for yourself for the first time. No need to panic, this book really will show you how to cook the basics and prove that you don’t have to resort to a diet of expensive takeaways or anything on toast. It’s very cleverly designed so not only does it tell you how to cook but there are witty step by step processes for every recipe. There are loads of tips for storing or using up left overs and giving meals a funky twist – ideal for those who have limited cash and equipment. Start off by learning a few basic skills, how to cook pasta, bake a potato then move on to stir fries, soups, salads, roasts and even curries. Here are a few recipes to whet your appetite; the book – published by Quadrille – has been in the shops since mid September.

Tiffany Goodall’s Beef Noodle Stir-fry

Serves 2–4

If you go to a Chinese restaurant you’ll doubtless find a selection of chow mein dishes on the menu. It is the generic term used for a Chinese dish of stir-fried noodles. You could use chicken, vegetables or even small prawns instead of the beef in this recipe.

225g/8oz rice noodles or egg noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped finely
3 sirloin or rump steaks, sliced
juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey

Cook the rice noodles

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, and then add the chillies, ginger, garlic and green pepper. Stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the beef, lime juice and soy sauce.
Fry for a couple of minutes. Add the cooked rice noodles. Mix well and add the honey. Have a taste and add some more soy sauce if you think it needs it.

Tiffany Goodall’s Hot hot Lamb Curry

Serves 4

How brave are you? This curry is punchy and spicy, perfect for a lads’ night in with a few beers. It is very spicy, so if you want to tone it down leave out the chilli flakes and use a couple of fresh green chillies instead.

1kg/21/4 lb lamb, diced
4 tablespoons plain yoghurt, plus extra to serve
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely
2cm/1inch piece of root ginger, peeled and chopped finely
6 small green chillies, such as bird’s eye chillies
1–2 teaspoons chilli flakes
400ml/14fl oz boiling water
2 chicken stock cubes
large handful of spinach leaves
4 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped

Mix the lamb, yogurt, turmeric and cumin together in a bowl. Put in the fridge for an hour to marinate. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion, garlic and ginger. Add the chillies and chilli flakes and mix around.

Add the yoghurt-marinated lamb, stir well and season with salt and pepper.

Mix up the boiling water and stock cubes, and then pour over the lamb. Cook over a low heat for 35 minutes until the lamb is tender. Add the spinach and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot, hot, hot with a dollop of yoghurt to cool the flames!

Optional Extras: Feel free to use coconut milk instead of stock here. Red chillies would also be great and give the dish some extra colour.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with some buttered basmati rice with coriander, some naan bread and good mango chutney.

Tiffany Goodall’s Chilli con Carne

Serves 8

A hot and warming chilli con carne is quite simply an ultimate favourite and perfect for a house party when feeding the masses. I love a good bit of spice, so chillies and chilli flakes are brilliant in this.

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, chopped finely
4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped finely
2 teaspoons chilli flakes
1.5kg/3lb lean beef mince
3 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes
2 glasses of red wine (optional)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
800g/11/2lb red kidney beans
150ml/5fl oz soured cream

Finely chop the onions, garlic and chillies.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the red onions, garlic and fresh chillies.

Add the chilli flakes. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes

You should be hit with the smells of the garlic and spice – all great.
Turn the heat right up and add the beef mince. Season well and cook until brown. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce. Stir well and then add the kidney beans.
Simmer for as long as time allows. I like this to simmer for at least an hour, as all the flavours really intensify. Taste it after an hour and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Serve hot with a dollop of soured cream.

Don’t add the Tabasco sauce if you don’t like it too hot, but it does give it a real kick. Chopped parsley or coriander would be brilliant at the end, sprinkled over.
I like this with rice and some soured cream, Guacamole and maybe a side salad. It’s so easy to do for large numbers.

Fool Proof Food

Tiffany Goodall’s Ma’s Carbonara Sauce

Serves 1

This is a tasty carbonara sauce – creamy, garlicky and delicious! The ingredients are basic: eggs, cream and milk – items I often find lying around in my fridge.

15ml/1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
100g/31/2oz un-smoked bacon lardons or normal bacon, chopped roughly
1 medium egg, whisked
2 tablespoons grated Cheddar cheese
125ml/4fl oz double cream
15ml/1 tablespoon milk

Cook your pasta

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, and add the garlic and bacon.
Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the bacon is brown, stirring regularly.
Tip the bacon onto a piece of kitchen paper to drain. Set your dirty frying pan aside for later. Mix up the egg, bacon, cheese, cream and milk, and season with salt and pepper. Stir well. Check your pasta and when it’s ready, drain it and tip it into the large frying pan you used earlier. Add the egg mixture and gently heat it for 1 minute over a low-medium heat. This is very important because if the heat is too high you will end up with scrambled eggs! Taste to check the seasoning and then serve.

Countdown to Christmas

To continue our count down to Christmas – only 11 weeks to go – how about getting the Christmas puddings made… This week I will use Myrtle Allen’s recipe, next week my mother’s plum pudding so you will have a choice. Last week I gave instructions on how to prepare your own suet, this week I include a tip for making homemade breadcrumbs from left over stale bread. Store the puddings in a cool dry cupboard so they will gradually ripen and mature in time for Christmas.

Myrtle Allen’s Plum Pudding with Brandy Butter

Serves 8-10

Making the Christmas Puddings (from The Ballymaloe Cook Book by Myrtle Allen)

The tradition that every member of the household could have a wish which was likely (note, never a firm promise) to come true was, of course, a ruse to get all the children to help with heavy work of stirring the pudding.  I only discovered this after I was married and had to do the job myself.  This recipe, multiplied many times, was made all at once.  In a machineless age, mixing all those expensive ingredients properly was a formidable task.  Our puddings were mixed in an enormous china crock which held the bread for the house hold for the rest of the year.  My mother, nanny and the cook took it in turns to stir, falling back with much panting and laughing after a few minutes’ work.  I don’t think I was really much help to them.
Christmas puddings should be given at least 6 weeks to mature.  They will keep for a year.  They become richer and firmer with age, but one loses the lightness of the fruit flavour.  We always eat our last plum pudding at Easter.
If possible, prepare your own fresh beef suet – it is better than the pre-packed product.

6ozs (175g) shredded beef suet
6 ozs (175g) sugar
7ozs (200g) soft breadcrumbs
8ozs (225g) currants
8 ozs (225g) raisins
4 ozs (110g) candied peel
1-2 teaspoons mixed spice
a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 fl ozs (50ml) flesh of a baked apple
3 eggs
2 fl ozs (50ml) Irish whiskey

1 x 3 pints (1.75 L) capacity pudding bowl

Mix the ingredients thoroughly.  Whisk the eggs and add them, with the apple and whiskey.  Stir very well indeed.  Fill into the greased pudding bowl.  Cover with a round of greaseproof paper or a butter-wrapped pressed down on top of the pudding.  Put a large round of greaseproof or brown paper over the top of the bowl, tying it firmly under the rim.

Place in a saucepan one-third full of boiling water and simmer for 10 hours.  Do not allow the after to boil over the top and do not let it boil dry either.  Store in a cool place until Christmas.

Thrifty Tip

How to Make Bread Crumbs

I’ve just been to the shops and seen breadcrumbs for sale for more than the price of a loaf of bread for a 250g (9oz) bag, so let me share the secret of how to make your own.

There are two options. First save all left over white bread, for white bread crumbs, cut off the crusts. Tear each slice into 3 or 4 pieces, drop into a liquidiser or food processor, whizz for 30 seconds to a minute, hey presto – bread crumbs.  Use immediately or freeze in convenient size bags to use another time.

Secondly, ff you include the crusts, the breadcrumbs will be flecked with lots of crust but these are fine for stuffings and any other dish where the crumbs do not need to be white. Uses for bread crumbs, stuffings, coating fish, meat, croquettes etc. Use for bread sauce and buttered crumbs for gratins.

Hot Tips

Coeliac UK Gluten-free Chef of the Year Competition is being judged by Michelin starred chef Raymond Blanc this year. Submit recipes for a three course gluten-free menu to recipes@coeliac.org.uk by 6th November 2009. Get more details about the competition including the prizes at www.coeliac.org.uk/glutenfreechefoftheyear

I always had a great fondness for Keith Floyd, the flamboyant TV chef who tore up the script and did it his way. What a breath of fresh air he brought to cookery programs adlibbing instructions to his long suffering TV crew. I first met him in the mid 80s when he bounced into the cookery school, bow tie askew with his long standing producer David Prichard, apologising for being three or four hours late. He wanted to film me teaching him how to make Irish stew but arranged to be reading the racing page at the back of the class; I’d never seen a TV camera in my life before that day and was terrified and hugely embarrassed in front of my students. We got off to reasonable start but when I told him to put down the paper and pay attention (as I’d been instructed) he had forgotten my name so we had to start all over again. After several abortive attempts, he suggested we have a glass of wine so after that everything went swimmingly, so much so that after we’d filmed the piece he same out and said to the others ‘she should do TV you know, she’s a natural’. We were all very amused, it hadn’t even occurred to me; in fact it was several years before RTE approached me to do the Simply Delicious Series.

Keith had a wonderful raffish charm and an infectious enthusiasm which was contagious. Our paths crossed occasionally during the years, he was always genial and larger than life but strangely sad and shy when one caught a glimpse of the real Floyd underneath.
Sadly he was less successful in business and one restaurant after the other, though hugely popular was not financially successful. A life long bon-viveur he struggled with a love of wine. Recently he had been suffering from cancer but at the time of his death – he lived in Provence with his life long friend Celia Martin – he had just been given an encouraging report from his doctor. The news provided him with a reason to celebrate Celia’s birthday and his good fortune. We are told that he dined on oysters with potted shrimps, red legged partridge with bread sauce and Perry jelly – a pear cider made into jelly with champagne and good wine. A fitting finale for a larger than life character. Many of us owe him a debt. Thank you Floyd for your contribution to the food world and for all your inspiration.

Ballymaloe Potted Shrimps

Serves 4 as a first course

1/2 clove garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper
2-3 ozs (50-75g) clarified butter
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
4ozs (110g) shelled shrimps
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Crush the garlic to a paste with a little salt. Bring clarified butter to the boil with thyme leaves and garlic. Add shrimps and toss for about 30 seconds, leave to rest.  Season carefully with 1 or 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Pack into pots and run a little more melted butter over the top, put into the fridge and allow to set. Serve at room temperature with melba toast or crusty bread.

Potted shrimps will keep in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.

Keith Floyd’s Partridge with Morels
Taken from ‘Floyd on France’ published by BBC books.

1 partridge per person, plucked gutted, giblets reserved
Armagnac
1lb (500g) fresh morels
5 oz (150g) smoked bacon, diced
1 small onion per partridge
Thyme
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons nut oil
5ox (150g) butter
1 lump sugar
10fl oz (300ml) double cream

Marinate the partridge giblets overnight in Armagnac. Stuff each bird with 1 morel, 2 pieces of bacon, half an onion, pinch of thyme, salt and pepper and sew up the opening.
Brown the partridges in the oil and butter in a large flameproof casserole. Then add the rest of the bacon and the onions. When the onions have started to colour, flame with Armagnac. Throw in 10fl oz until the sauce is well reduced, then stir in the sugar and cream and allow to thicken. Check the seasoning and serve.

Keith Floyd’s Pear and Raisin Tarts
Taken from ‘Floyd on France’ published by BBC books.

For the filling:

1lb (500g) pears, peeled, cored and quartered
4oz (125g) sugar
4 cubes dark chocolate
5 oz (150g) raisins
finely grated rind of 1 orange

For the pastry:
7oz (200g) flour sifted
4oz (125g) butter cut into small pieces
3 egg yolks, beaten
pinch of salt
Cook the pears in 10fl oz (300ml) water with the sugar, chocolate, raisins and orange rind, until you have a thick compote.
Meanwhile, make the pastry Put the flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the butter and 4 tablespoons water, 2 of the egg yolks and salt. Mix together and knead until you have a firm, elastic dough – add more water if necessary. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Roll out the pastry into a rough square, approximately ¼ inch (6mm) thick. Cut rounds in the pastry with a cutter or glass and put a small dollop of compote on each. Fold in two and seal the edges with water. Paint with the remaining egg yolk and place on a buttered sheet. Pop into a hot oven, gas mark 6 400ºF (200°C) for about 20 minutes.

Keith Floyd’s Alsatian Plum Tart
Taken from ‘Floyd on France’ published by BBC books.

Bilberries can also be used, in which case omit the cinnamon.

For the pastry
10oz (300g) wheat flour, sifted
5oz (150g) butter cut into small pieces
¼ – ½ oz (7 – 15g) fine salt
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
For the filling
2fl oz (50ml) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 oz (125g) caster sugar
2lb (1kg) firm plums, stoned and halved lengthways
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Put the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the centre, and add the butter, salt, sugar and egg. Mix with your fingertips until well amalgamated and roll into a ball. Knead on a floured board until smooth, Wrap in a floured cloth and refrigerate for a couple of hours. When the pastry is well rested, roll it out on a floured board to an approximate thickness of ¼ inch. (6mm). liberally butter a flan dish (best to use one with a removable base) and line it with pastry. Prick the bottom all over with a fork and bake blind in the oven at gas mark 5, 375ºF (190°C) for 20 minutes.
While the pastry is cooking beat the eggs, milk, vanilla, and 1 oz (25g) of the sugar together. Pour into the pastry shell and return to the oven at, gas mark 5, 375ºF (190°C), allow the custard to set but not to discolour.
Remove the tart from the oven and arrange the plums in concentric circles on the custard, some skin side up, some down. Return to a hot oven, gas mark 7, 425ºF (220°C) for 20 minutes.
Remove and sprinkle with the remaining 3oz (75g) sugar. Pop back in the oven for a final 5 minutes.

Count Down to Christmas

Someone has just reminded me that it’s only twelve weeks to Christmas, how incredible is that… Well this year I am determined to start well ahead so we have no last minute scramble. We’ll do a countdown to Christmas every week between now and Christmas in the Examiner.
So how about having a Yule box to save any loose change for little treats…
Both the mincemeat and plum pudding can be made very soon. This week I include my favourite mincemeat recipe – this one keeps for ages. For extra deliciousness why not make your own candied peel from left over citrus peels. Go along to your local butcher and ask for fresh suet, if you are a good customer it may even be free, otherwise buy a packet ready prepared but this year it’s all about saving the pennies and enjoying the experience of making your own Christmas feast.

Ballymaloe Mincemeat

Makes 3.2 kilos approx. Makes 8-9 pots.

2 cooking apples, e.g. Bramley Seedling
2 organic lemons
450g (1lb) beef suet
pinch of salt
110g (4oz) mixed peel (preferably homemade)
2 tablespoons Séville orange marmelade
225g (8oz) currants
450g (1lb) sultanas
900g (2lbs) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown)
62ml (2 1/2fl oz) Irish whiskey

Core and bake the whole apples in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4, for 30 minutes approx. Allow to cool.  When they are soft, remove the skin and mash the flesh into pulp.  Grate the rind from the lemons on the finest part of a stainless steel grater and squeeze out the juice and stir into the pulp.  Add the other ingredients one by one, and as they are added, mix everything thoroughly.  Put into sterilized jars, cover and leave to mature for 2 weeks before using.  This mincemeat will keep for a year in a cool, airy place.

Homemade Candied Peel

Fruit should be organic if possible, otherwise scrub the peel well.

5 organic unwaxed oranges
5 organic unwaxed lemons
5 organic unwaxed grapefruit   (or all of one fruit)
water
1 teaspoon salt
3 lbs (1.35kg) sugar

Cut the fruit in half and squeeze out the juice. Reserve the juice for another use, perhaps homemade lemonade. Put the peel into a large bowl (not aluminium), add salt and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 24 hours. Next day throw away the soaking water, put the peel in a saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil cover and simmer very gently until the peel is soft, 3 hours approx. Remove the peel and discard the water. Scrape out any remaining flesh and membranes from inside the cut fruit, leaving the white pith and rind intact. (You could do the next step next day if that was more convenient).
Slice the peel into nice long strips.

Dissolve the sugar in 1 1/4 pints (750ml) water, bring it to the boil, add the peel and simmer gently until it looks translucent, 30 – 60 minutes and the syrup forms a thread when the last drop falls off a metal spoon. Remove the peel with a slotted spoon, fill the candied peel into sterilised glass jars and pour the syrup over, cover and store in a cold place or in a fridge. It should keep for 6-8 weeks or longer under refrigeration.

Alternatively spread on a baking tray or trays and allow to sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour to cool. Toss in castor sugar and store in covered glass jars until needed.

Fool Proof Food

How to Prepare Suet
To prepare suet start by asking your butcher for the fat that surrounds beef kidneys. Remove and discard the papery membrane and any red veins or fragments of meat. If you’re not meticulous about this, these bits will deteriorate and the suet won’t keep properly. The fat will separate into natural divisions. Chop it coarsely and either mince or whizz it in a food-processor for a minute or two or until it’s evenly grainy (years ago people used to grate suet on a simple box grater.) Refrigerate and use within a couple of days but if it has been properly trimmed it will keep for weeks in a fridge.

Thrifty Tip
Prepare your own suet for plum pudding and mincemeat, see above…

HotTips

The Autumn series of night classes begin at Ballymaloe Cookery School on the 7th October every Wednesday evening at 7:00pm – 9:30pm until 25th November, 2009. Learn how to cook delicious affordable food for family and friends. Sign up for all eight classes for €350.00 or pay by class €50.00. For further information and on the different menus and to book phone (021) 4646 785 or visit www.cookingisfun.ie

New Farmers Market There is a brand new Farmers’ Market at East Douglas Village with twenty four exciting stalls every Friday from 10am to 3pm. Contact Roseanne Kidney on 086 8283310, email roseanne@goldiefish.ie or visit www.goldiefish.ie

Campbell’s Tea recently won two gold stars in the Great Taste Awards 2009 in London for their tea that is still sold in an attractive yellow and gold tin with a taste that brings back memories of granny’s kitchen or of the little old shops that used to stock it. www.robert-roberts.ie

We were fortunate to have one of the most beautiful days of the entire summer for the Old Fashioned Threshing Event at Ballymaloe Cookery School. The event was held to raise money for the East Cork Slow Food Educational Project, which links up with the local schools to teach the children how to cook, grow vegetables and fresh herbs. They visit the farm and gardens and learn about the chickens and free range pigs and cattle and the importance of rich and fertile soil.
They see the Jersey cows and learn where milk comes from and how butter is made, how to sow a seed, pick a tomato, dry onions… The children are wonderfully curious and enthusiastic and eager to learn.
The class divides in two – the little chefs and little farmers – the latter don their wellies and head off around the farm and vegetable gardens. The chefs tie on their aprons and learn how to cook a variety of dishes and then make lunch for the entire group and their teachers. They lay the table put a little vase of flowers in the centre and then all sit down to enjoy lunch together. After the meal they take the food scraps out to feed the hens and learn that the hens will reward them with eggs the next day. On their return visit the cooks become farmers and vice versa.
East Cork Slow Food also supplies several local schools with a chicken coop plus two hens so children can learn about how food is produced – you can’t imagine how excited both the children and the teachers are when the hen lays an egg. Shanagarry National School is one of a growing number of schools to have a vegetable and herb garden to teach children life skills. The first egg that ‘Ester and Polly’ laid was raffled to raise funds for the school as a result several children have encouraged their parents to grow vegetables and keep hens at home.
On the Old Fashioned Threshing Day, the Mogeely Vintage Club supplied the threshing machine and binder, they worked hard to thresh the wheat while The Bride Valley band played music and local producers, Jane Murphy of Ardsallagh gave people a taste of her goat’s cheese, Noreen Conroy of Woodside Farm, near Midleton had her pork bacon and juicy sausages for sale. Olive Kapil of Green Saffron ladled out steaming bowls of curry made from the fresh spices she and Arun import directly from Kerela in South India. People also queued in the hot sun for Baldwin’s ice cream and Mark Kingston of Golden Bean espressos and creamy cappuccino.
Philip Denhardt spit-roasted one of the free range pigs from the farm and served it in a bap from Cuthbert’s Bakery with homemade apple sauce, mayonnaise and cucumber pickle. Several stalls came from further afield; Peter Gibson from the Pie Man in Galway served delicious little quiches and pies and so did Lily Riley from Lily Riley’s Pantry. Michael and Mary Phelan of Rose Cottage Fruit Farm travelled all the way from Co Laois with their freshly picked strawberries, raspberries, damsons and blueberries.
Inside in the cookery school people could enjoy a threshing dinner with bacon, cabbage, parsley sauce and champ, followed by a big wedge of new season’s apple tart. There were a variety of games for the children, ‘Guess the Veg’, pancake race, ‘aubergine’ shy and a vegetable colouring competition.  Roy Daly gave rides on his pony and trap, all this contributed to the East Cork Slow Food Education Fund.
Darina Allen gave two cookery demonstrations – ‘How to Make Homemade Sausages and How to Make Soda Bread and Scones and a lecture on How to keep a few Hens in your Garden – to encourage people to enjoy a degree of self sufficiency.

If you would like to learn more about Slow Food Ireland visit www.slowfoodireland.com

Ardsallagh Goats Cheese, Tomato and Spinach Tart

Serves 4

8-10 ozs/225-285 g puff pastry
8 tablespoons Tomato Fondue (see recipe in Irish Examiner January 3rd 2009)
8 ozs/225 g spinach, string, blanched and refreshed
4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
4 ozs/110 g of mature Ardsallagh Goats cheese
4 teaspoons of Tapenade
Black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
A few Tunisian olives and basil leaves for garnish

Pre heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Mark 4

Roll out the pastry very thinly. (i.e. the thickness of a coin).  Cut out into 7-8 inch rounds and perforate the surface all over with a fork.  Spread each tart base with 2 tablespoons of Tomato Fondue and 1 teaspoon of tapenade.  Then divide the spinach between the tarts.  Place thin slices of goats cheese overlapping on top of the tarts. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook in a moderate hot oven for 10-15 minutes.  Serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few olives and a couple of basil leaves.

Brown Soda Bread and Scones
Makes 1 loaf

10ozs (300g) brown wholemeal flour (preferably stone-ground)
10ozs (300g) plain white flour
1 teaspoon dairy salt
1 teaspoon bread soda (Bicarbonate of Soda/Baking Soda) sieved
3/4 – 1 pint sour milk or buttermilk

First preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/regulo 8

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large wide bowl, make a well in the centre and pour all of the sour milk or buttermilk. Using one hand, stir in a full circle starting in the centre of the bowl working towards the outside of the bowl until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, a matter of seconds, turn it out onto a well floured board. WASH AND DRY YOUR HANDS. Roll around gently with floury hands for a second, just enough to tidy it up. Flip over and flatten slightly to about 2 inches (5cm) approx. Sprinkle a little flour onto a baking sheet and place the loaf on top of the flour. Make with a deep cross and bake in a hot oven 230°C/450°F/regulo 8 for 15-20 minutes, reduce the heat to 200°C/400°F/regulo 6 for approx. 15-20 minutes or until the bread is cooked (In some ovens it is necessary to turn the bread upside down on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before the end of baking) It will sound hollow when tapped.  Cool on a wire rack.
One could add 12g (1/2oz) fine oatmeal, 1 egg and 12g (1/2 oz) butter to the above to make richer soda bread dough.

Brown Soda Scones

Make the dough as above. Form it into a round and flatten to 4cm/1 1/2 inch thick approx.  Stamp out into scones with a cutter, or cut with a knife.  Bake for about 30 minutes in a hot oven (see above).

Note:  Bread should always be cooked in a fully pre-heated oven, but ovens vary enormously so it is necessary to adjust the temperature accordingly.
If lighter bread is preferred, use 450g (1 lb) white flour and 150g (5ozs) brown wholemeal flour.

Homemade Pork & Herb Sausages with Brambley Apple & Sweet Geranium Sauce

Makes 16 approx. – Serves 8

1 lb (450g) good fat streaky pork
2-4 teaspoons mixed fresh herbs e.g. parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram, rosemary or sage
1 large clove garlic
1 egg, preferably free range
2½ ozs (70g) soft white breadcrumbs (made from good bread)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A little oil

Natural casings (sheep) optional

Brambley Apple and Sweet Geranium Sauce (see Fool Proof Food)

Mince the pork. Chop the herbs finely and mix through the crumbs. Crush the garlic to a paste with a little salt. Whisk the egg then mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Fry off a little knob of the mixture to check the seasoning correct if necessary.   Fill into sausage casings and tie. Alternatively divide into 16 pieces and roll into lengths. Fry gently on a barely oiled pan until golden on all sides. They are particularly delicious served with Brambley Apple Sauce and Potato Cakes.

Bombay Aloo (mild)

This is Arun Kapil of Green Saffron’s delicious recipe. He sells all the spices mentioned at his fragrant stall at Mahon Point Farmers Market on a Thursday and at Kinsale Farmers Market on a Tuesday.

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

1kg (2lbs) potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled and cut into good sized chunks
125g (4ozs) clarified butter or 8 good tablespoons sunflower oil
175g (6ozs) onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons onion seeds
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
3 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
small fist full of curry leaves
1 teaspoon salt
a good handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

How to make your Bombay Aloo

Turn your oven on to medium / low. About 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 is fine.
In a sturdy roasting dish, mix the first five above ingredients; your prepared potatoes, ghee (or clarified butter or sunflower oil), onion slices and all of the spices and salt.
You can use a spatula or wooden spoon or get stuck in and use your hands! Whichever is your preference, just make sure all ingredients are well combined.

Pop the dish onto the middle shelf of your oven, shut the door and wait for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are a delicious golden colour.

Once or twice during cooking, carefully, with a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula check on the potatoes and give them a gentle, but thorough little stir.
Turn off the oven, sprinkle with the fresh coriander, stir around to combine all the flavours and serve….simple.

Damson and Apple Jam

Makes 7 x 375g (13oz) jars

900g (2lb) wild damsons
900g (2lb) Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1.3kg (3lb) sugar
300ml (10fl oz/1/2 pint) water

Put the damsons, chopped apples and water into a greased stainless steel saucepan. Cook over a medium heat until damsons are soft and the apples have broken down into a fluff, approximately 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the sugar in a low oven. Add to the damsons and apples. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, increase the heat and boil until setting point (220ºC/425ºF) is reached. Skim off and remove as many stones as possible.
Pour in sterilized jars. Seal and store in a cool dry place.

Stall Holders’ Contact Numbers

Ardsallagh Goats Cheese 021 488 2336
Woodside Farm Mobile 087 2767206
Green Saffron Spices 086 833 1030
Baldwin’s Ice-Cream 086 3220932
The Golden Bean (Coffee)  086 8366325
Wildside Catering 086 68681863
The Pie Man 087 9821300
Lily Riley’s Pantry 086 0874157
Rose Cottage Fruit Farm 087 2700121

Fool Proof Food

Brambley Apple and Sweet Geranium Sauce

The trick with apple sauce is to cook it on a very low heat with only a tiny drop of water so it is nice and thick and not too watery, always worth having in the freezer in little tubs in case you feel like a juicy pork chop for supper.

1 lb (450g) cooking apples (Brambley Seedling or Grenadier)
1-2 dessertspoons water
2 ozs (55g) approx. sugar (depending on how tart the apples are)
4 rose geranium leaves

Peel, quarter and core the apples; cut the pieces in two and put them in a stainless or cast-iron saucepan with the leaves, sugar and water. Cover and cook on a very low heat until the apples break down in a fluff. Stir and taste for sweetness.

Thrifty Tip

Negotiate with your shopkeeper to take overripe bananas off his hands and make banana bread, makes nutritious lunch box snacks and also freezes well.

Hot Tips

Blas an Fhomhair – Nenagh’s Community Harvest Festival and Lunch is on Sunday, 27 September, at Kenyon Street, Nenagh at 3:00pm.  This year’s guest chef is well known writer and journalist, Hugo Arnold of the Irish Times. The Blas an Fhomhair is organised by Tipperary Slow Food, Shannon Development and friends and is a showcase of local organic foods for National Organic Week.  Tickets are available at Country Choice, The Pantry Cafe, Nadur and O’Riann Vegetables. Phone 067 32596 for further information.

Wildside Pig in a Day Course at Ballymaloe Cookery School
Philip Denhardt and Ted Berner teach this exciting one day course on Saturday 3rd October 2009 9:30am to 5:00pm. Learn how to turn raw pork into sausages, bacon, salami, guanciale and pancetta. Even if you don’t rear your own pig, buying one and transforming it into the plentiful cache of cured pork products can be an economical, fun, healthy and delicious activity. Please contact Ted Berner 0868681863 to book.

Cloyne Autumn Harvest Festival
Cloyne Community District Council have organised their Autumn Harvest Festival for Saturday 26th September 2009 from 2pm to 6:00pm at St Colman’s National School.

For years the ‘inner hippy’ in me has longed to go to a rock festival but I’ve always chickened out at the last minute for a variety of reasons – those huge crowds seemed scary and would I not look and feel completely ridiculous in the midst of all those be-bopping young people.

JC Collery the mover and shaker behind the Slow Food Youth Movement is a Ballymaloe Cookery School graduate who also holds a Masters degree in Development Studies from Manchester University. He has a passion for food and last year after Terra Madre in Italy he hatched a plan to build a wood burning oven to cook great pizzas using local ingredients at the Electric Picnic in Stradbally. He was so fired up with enthusiasm about this amazing music festival where the organisers also have a real green mission to look after environmental issues and to provide a variety of good food for the 33,000 punters who flock to the 400 acre estate in Co Laois.

When he mooted the idea to the organisers they were totally up for it so Philip Denhardt, Glenny Cameron and Johan Van der Merwe headed for Stradbally, in Co Laoise. They borrowed an old tractor trailer from a local farmer, Joe Lawlor and built three wood burning ovens on top.
Philip made dough for 1,500 pizzas, buckets of tomato sauce from organic tomatoes and lots of basil from the green houses. They bought 12.5 kgs of Gubeen chorizo from artisan producer Fingal Ferguson. Lots of their friends, including Ted Burner and Ivan Whelan of Wildside Catering set up their spit and roasted a couple of Saddleback pigs from Noreen Conroy’s Woodside Farm. Paddy O’Connell was slicing strawberries and putting dollops of delicious natural yoghurt on his ‘ogranola’ to keep up with the growing queues.

I simply had to go, my daughter stole my wellies, but I found a paid of distressed Uggs and some colourful gear and headed off. The Electric Picnic blew my mind; forget the variety of music from opera and chamber music to soul and jazz, which was amazing. There were a myriad of fun installation art works, made of old pallets, bicycle wheels and a beautiful willow sculpture of a figure playing a huge violin.
There was a Farmers’ market, a Global green space, Body and Spirit area…. every creative vision was catered for. There were hot tubs, hammocks, massages, weaving classes, belly dancing, drumming classes, fairies breakfast, permaculture gardens, chai stalls and a million things for children to do.

But back to food, the organisers Pod Concerts and Aitken Promotions decided in 2007 that the quality of the food should match the rest of the event, so they hired a variety of great food stalls from all over the country and even the UK, to come and feed the hungry hordes of music lovers. This was enough to make John and Sally McKenna of Bridgestone Guides prick up their ears. In 2008 they launched their Bridgestone Guide Electric Picnic awards. This year a total of five awards were presented to the leading food vendors and much to delight of the Slow Food Ireland Youth Movement Pizza Stall they were awarded the ‘On Your Doorstep Award’

“Not only did the Slow Food crew cook superb local foods, they also built a wood fired pizza oven on site, on the back of an agricultural trailer. And the pizzas were to die for!” said John McKenna.
Joining Slow food Ireland in the winner’s enclosure were Natasha’s Living Food, winner of the Healthy Buzz Award.
“Natasha’s raw foods are packed with goodness, as well as deliciousness. This is the beginning of the raw food movement in Ireland”, said the judges.

The award for eco-friendly food sourcing and production went to Donegal’s Rathmullan House. “We were most impressed by Rathmullan’s determination to use only local fish, landed from day boats, because the marine environment is the most stressed of all our food resources. This is real food sustainability.”

Judges John and Sally McKenna and Caroline Byrne, of the Bridgestone Guides, added a special Judges Award this year. The Judges Award went to Helen Finnegan, maker of Knockdrinna Farmhouse cheese and pork in Stoneyford, Co Kilkenny.
“Helen rears the cows, makes cheese from the milk, feeds her pigs on the whey from the cheese and then turns the pork into the most superb artisan meat, and she then takes it to the market and sells it to you. You can’t get closer to regional, local food production than this”, the judges commented.
The fifth award, for the Best Dressed vendors whose stall showed the most creativity and imagination, was awarded to The Mad Hatter’s Tea party who has now made it two awards in a row at Electric Picnic.

“The food at Electric Picnic is as wonderfully diverse and eclectic as every other element of this inspired festival”, said John McKenna, “the fact that the winners were Irish festival vendors shows how the relationship between great festivals and great local food is of pivotal importance’.

Some delicious food…

Irish Country Soup

This is another very substantial soup – it has ‘eating and drinking’ in it and would certainly be a meal in itself particularly if some grated Cheddar cheese was scattered over the top.

Serves 6

6 ozs (175g) un-smoked streaky Irish bacon (in the piece)
olive or sunflower oil
5 ozs (150g) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch (5mm) dice
2 ozs (50g) onions, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic (optional)
1 lb (450g) very ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced or 1 x 14 oz (400g) tin of tomatoes and their juice
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 pints (750ml) homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 ozs (50g) cabbage (Savoy is best), finely chopped

Garnish
Chopped parsley

Remove the rind from the bacon if necessary. Prepare the vegetables and cut the bacon into 1/4 inch (5mm) dice approx. Blanch the bacon cubes in cold water to remove some of the salt, drain and dry on kitchen paper, sauté in a little olive or sunflower oil until the fat runs and the bacon is crisp and golden. Add potatoes, onions and crushed garlic, sweat for 10 minutes and then add diced tomatoes and any juice. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Cover with stock and cook for 5 minutes. Add the finely chopped cabbage and continue to simmer just until the cabbage is cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning.  Sprinkle with lots of chopped parsley and serve.

Frittata with Roast Tomatoes, Chorizo and Ardsallagh Goat’s Cheese

Frittata is great for a picnic or for a rock concert, easy to transport and can be eaten cold in wedges or inside a bap.

Serves 6-8
.

450g (1lb) ripe or sun-blushed tomatoes, preferably cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large eggs, preferably free range and organic
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
4 teaspoons thyme leaves
2 tablespoons basil, mint or marjoram
110-175g (4-6oz) chorizo, thickly sliced, cut into four
40g (1 1/2ozs) Parmesan cheese, grated
25g (1oz) butter
110g (4oz) soft goat’s cheese (We use Ardsallagh goat cheese)
Extra virgin olive oil

Non-stick pan 10cm (7 1/2in) bottom, 23cm (9in) top rim

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

Cut the tomatoes in half around the equator season with salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Arrange in a single layer in a non-stick roasting tin.  Roast for 10-15 or until almost soft and slightly crinkly.  Remove from the heat and cool. Alternatively use sun-blushed tomatoes.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl; add the salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh herbs, chorizo and grated cheese into the eggs. Add the tomatoes, stir gently.  Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan. When the butter starts to foam, tip in the eggs.  Turn down the heat, as low as it will go. Divide the cheese into walnut sized pieces and drop gently into the frittata at regular intervals. Leave the eggs to cook gently for 15 minutes on a heat diffuser mat, or until the underneath is set. The top should still be slightly runny.
Preheat a grill. Pop the pan under the grill for 1 minute to set and barely brown the surface.

Slide the frittata onto a warm plate.

Serve cut in wedges with a good green salad and perhaps a few olives.
Alternatively put the pan into a preheated oven 170°C/325°F/gas 3. Alternatively cook mini frittata in muffin tins (for approximately 15 minutes). Serve with a good green salad.

Variation: For a yummy vegetarian alternative omit the chorizo and add 110g (4oz) grated Gruyère cheese to add extra zizz.

Top Tip
The size of the pan is very important; the frittata should be at least 3 cm (1 1/4 inches) thick. It the only pan available is larger, adjust the number of eggs, etc.

Smoked Mackerel Pâte

This would be easy to transport and is great slathered onto crusty bread or baps with a few slices of tomato and cucumber pickle.

4 ozs (110g) un-dyed smoked mackerel or herring, free of skin and bone
2-3 ozs (55-85g) softened butter
1/4 teaspoon finely snipped fennel
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2-1 clove garlic, crushed to a paste
salt and freshly ground pepper
crusty bread

Garnish
Sprigs of fennel

Whizz all the ingredients in a food processor. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, taste, add more lemon juice and garlic if necessary, it should be well seasoned. Put into little bowl or individual pots.

Serve with cucumber pickle and crusty bread.

Rum and Raisin Cake

A favourite picnic cake with lots of cutting, keep it in the tin for ease of transporting.

175g (6oz) raisins
6 tablespoons Jamaica rum
275g (10oz) butter
175g (6oz) golden castor sugar
4 eggs, preferably free-range and organic
50ml (2fl oz) milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
275g (10oz) white flour
1 tablespoon) baking powder
50g (2oz) walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans

23cm (9inch) round tin with a pop-up base, buttered and floured

1 1/2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

Soak the raisins in the rum for 30 minutes. Drain and save the rum.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4.

Cream the butter, add the castor sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Separate the eggs, save the whites, add the egg yolks, one by one. Beat well between each addition, add the rum, milk and vanilla extract.

Mix the flour and baking powder together and fold in to the base mixture bit by bit. Whisk the egg white in a spotlessly clean bowl until stiff and fluffy.

Fold into the cake mixture one-third at a time, add the fruit and chopped nuts with the last addition of egg white.

Pour into the prepared tin, sprinkled with soft brown sugar and cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the top is golden and the centre set and firm. Allow the cake to cool in the tin, invert, remove from the tin, invert again and cool on a wire rack.

Fool Proof Food
Rosemary Lemonade

Makes 4-6 glasses

Delicious thirst quenching lemonade with a grown up flavour!

Freshly squeezed juice of 3 lemons
225ml (8fl oz) rosemary syrup (see recipe)
670ml (24fl oz) water

Mix the freshly squeezed lemon juice with the rosemary syrup and the water. Taste and add more syrup if necessary.

Rosemary Syrup

Makes 770ml (1 pint 7fl oz)

Use as the basis of lemonades or fruit compotes.

450g (1lb) sugar
600ml (1pint) water
2 sprigs rosemary

Put the sugar and cold water into a saucepan, add the sprigs of rosemary. Bring slowly to the boil, allow to cool, strain and store in a fridge. It will keep for weeks.

Thrifty Tip

Defrost your deep freeze; it’s more economical to run when it’s defrosted, this also gives you the opportunity to use up what is in your deep freeze.

Hot Tips

Apple Day
Irish Seed Savers Association’s annual Apple Day is on Sunday September 27th 2009
12pm to 5pm at Capparoe, Scarriff, Co Clare. Purchase some apple trees and learn how to create an orchard. Demonstrations include, bee keeping, vegetarian cooking and seed saving. Lots of fun kids activities too. For booking Tel 061 921866 or online at www.irishseedsavers.ie

Duck Eggs
For those who are looking out for duck eggs, Glenfin produce free range eggs that are brilliant not only for baking but for frying and poaching  www.glenfinfarm.ie Telephone Brian 086 1714240.

Three 2009 Bridgestone Guide Electric Picnic Award winners.

Rathmullan House. Telephone 074 91 58188 www.rathmullanhouse.com
Natasha’s Living Food. Telephone 0879743455  www.natashaslivingfood.ie
Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese. Telephone 056 7728446 www.knockdrinna.com

People are flocking to food fairs around the country. They have become a magnet for those who like to source local and artisan foods. Coupled with the growing number of farm shops and markets, it creates an opportunity for food producers to add value to their produce so they can continue to live on the land that they love or the area they have settled in rather then enduring the long daily commute to the nearest large town or city.

 

In this challenging economic climate, local Environmental Health Officers and dairy inspectors are anxious to support and encourage these enterprises. I recently visited the Four Rivers Slow Food event at Goatsbridge Trout Farm near Thomastown Co. Kilkenny. Generations of the Kirwan family have produced trout beside the mill stream which was originally dug by the monks of nearby Jerpoint Abbey. The trout ponds are fed by gravity feed from three springs of ice cold water.

 

Still with a twinkle in his eye, Padraic Kirwan, at 82 years of age, is the patriarch of the family. He started the business with his wife Rita in 1962. Padraic explained the life cycle of the trout from green ova to alevin fry to fingerlings and market size fish. His son Gerard scooped them up in a fishing net so that we could see them as we moved from pond to pond. Success, Padraic told me, depends on both God and nature. We’d already tasted fresh tout and smoked trout pate in four or five different ways cooked by Alan Cullen of Jerpoint Catering.

 

Several local farmers and food producers have come to display their wares. Joy Moore from Oldtown Hill Bakehouse in Tullaroan has been in business for ten years. For GAA fans Tullaroan is famous for the Lowry Maher centre housed in an 18^{th Century thatched cottage which one person mentioned to me was more important then visiting the Vatican for Irish hurling fans. Joy had a terrific selection of breads, cakes, buns and biscuits which she bakes from flour milled in Mosses of Bennelsbridge from local wheat. The milk comes from her dairy farm. www.goodfoodireland.com. For information on Slow Food events around the country see www.slowfoodireland.com}

 

The Brambley cooking apples for the tarts and crumble come from Phillip Little’s orchard in Pilltown, Co. Waterford which gives Oldtown Hill Bakehouse products a low carbon foot- print. Oldtown Hill Bake House employ fifteen people and sell all its cakes locally – an inspirational example of rural enterprise. (056) 7769263.

 

Bronagh Boyd who also loves to bake recently started Little Cakes of Happiness. One bite of her confections certainly produced a flow of compliments. Pecan, lemon drizzle and oatmeal squares were all absolutely delicious and sang of butter and fine ingredients. Bronagh sells in local farmers markets, 087 2841928

 

I also met Willy Dolan who rears mountain sheep near Leamlara in the Comeragh Mountains. Those who, like me, have a hankering for the occasional mutton or haggot as well as sliced lamb should contact Willy directly on 086-8583605.

 

Local cheese maker Helen Finnegan, whose cheese Knockdrinna many of you will know, was there with her range of cow, goat and sheep milk cheese. Helen also makes Lavistown Cheese originally made by Roger and Olivia Goodville.

Helen’s newest venture is a farm shop and café right in the centre of Stoneyford, Co.Kilkenny. A perfect stop on the road from Kilkenny to Waterford. Not only can one have a delicious slice quiche or a piece of orange drizzle cake they can also stock up on Helen’s home cured bacon, local fruit, preserves, fresh herbs and of course Knockdrinna Farmhouse cheese. Helen’s farm shop and Goatsbridge Farm will all be part of the Good Food Ireland food tourism trail in that area

 

 

 

 

^{Smoked Trout with Cucumber Salad and Horseradish Sauce}

Serves 8

8 fillets of smoked trout (either smoked sea trout or rainbow trout)

2 Irish cucumbers

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

1 teasp. chopped fresh fennel or 2 teasp. chopped fresh dill

a sprinkle of wine vinegar

horseradish sauce

garnish

lemon segments

fresh dill or fennel

First make the horseradish sauce. Thinly slice the cucumber (with peel on). Sprinkle with a few drops of vinegar, season with salt, sugar and a little freshly ground pepper and stir in some finely chopped fennel of dill.

To assemble the salad: Place a fillet of smoked trout on each individual serving plate. Arrange the cucumber salad along the side and pipe some fresh horseradish sauce on top of the trout. Garnish with a segment of lemon and some fresh herbs.

Horseradish Sauce

This makes a mild horseradish sauce, if you would like something that will really clear the sinuses, just increase the quantity of grated horseradish.

8 fl ozs (250ml) softly whipped cream

2 teasp. wine vinegar

1 teasp. lemon juice

3 teasp. mustard

3 teasp. salt

a pinch of freshly ground pepper

1 teasp. sugar

½ tablesp. grated horseradish

Scrub the horseradish root well, peel and grate. Put the grated horseradish into a bowl with the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar. Fold in the softly whipped cream, do not over mix or the sauce will curdle.

This sauce keeps for 2-3 days and may also be served with roast beef; cover so that it doesn’t pick up flavours in the fridge.

 

 

Pear and Almond Tart

 

This is certainly one of the most impressive of the French tarts, it is wonderful served warm but is also very good cold and it keeps for several days. Old Town Hill Bake house made a similar one which was absolutely delish

 

Serves 8-10

 

4-5 ripe pears, poached

 

Shortcrust Pastry

200g (7oz) flour

110g (4oz) cold butter

1 egg yolk, preferably free range and organic

pinch of salt

3-4 tablespoons cold water

 

Frangipane

100g (31/2oz) butter

100g (31/2oz) castor sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 egg yolk, preferably free range

2 tablespoons kirsch

110g (4oz) whole blanched almonds, ground or 1/2 ground almonds and 1/2 blanched and ground

25g (1oz) flour

 

To Finish

150ml (1/4pint) approx. apricot glaze

 

23cm (9inch) diameter flan ring or tart tin with a removable base

 

First make the shortcrust pastry,

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour with the fingertips. Keep everything as cool as possible; if the fat is allowed to melt the finished pastry may be tough. When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, stop. Whisk the egg yolk and add the water.

 

Take a fork or knife (whichever you feel most comfortable with) and add just enough liquid to bring the pastry together, then discard the fork and collect the pastry into a ball with your hands. This way you can judge more accurately if you need a few more drops of liquid. Although slightly damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape as the water evaporates in the oven. The drier and more difficult-to-handle pastry will give a crisper shorter crust.

 

Cover the pastry with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes or better still 30 minutes. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.

 

Next poach the pears and allow to get cold. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Roll out the pastry, line the tart tin with it, prick lightly with a fork, flute the edges and chill again until firm. Bake blind for 15-20 minutes.

 

Next make the frangipane. Cream the butter gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and soft. Gradually add the egg and egg yolk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the ground almonds and flour and then add the kirsch or calvados. Pour the frangipane into the pastry case spreading it evenly. Drain the pears well and when they are cold cut them crosswise into very thin slices, then lift the sliced pears intact and arrange them around the tart on the frangipane pointed ends towards the centre. Arrange a final half pear in the centre.

 

Turn the oven up to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Bake the tart for 10-15 minutes until the pastry is beginning to brown. Turn down the oven heat to moderate 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is tender and the frangipane is set in the centre and nicely golden.

 

When the tart is fully cooked, paint generously with apricot glaze, remove from the tin and serve warm or cold with a bowl of softly whipped cream.

 

 

Coffee and Walnut Biscuits

Makes 8 full biscuits

Biscuit Mixture

175g (6oz) flour

75g (3oz) butter

50g (2oz) castor sugar

1 egg

Coffee Filling

25g (1oz) butter

50g (2oz) icing sugar (sieved)

1 teaspoon Irel Coffee essence

Coffee Icing

110g (4oz) icing sugar (sieved)

scant ½ tablespoon. Irel Coffee essence

1 tablespoon boiling water approx.

Fresh walnut halves to decorate

Sieve the flour into a bowl. Rub in the butter, add sugar, and mix well. Beat egg. Mix dry ingredients to a stiff dough with beaten egg. Turn out onto a floured board and roll out to 3mm (1/8in) thickness. Cut into 9cm (31/2in) rounds.

Bake in a moderate oven 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 until golden brown, 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Allow to get cold. Meanwhile, make the coffee filling.

Cream the butter and add the sieved icing sugar and the coffee essence. Continue to beat until light and fluffy. To make the icing – sieve the icing sugar and put into a bowl. Add coffee essence and enough boiling water to make it the consistency of a very thick cream. Beat until smooth and glossy. Sandwich the biscuits together with coffee filling and spread a little thick coffee icing on top, decorate each biscuit with ½ a walnut.

Irish Apple Cake

 

 

This is something mummy used to make with new seasons apples, try it, it will bring back memories.

 

Serves 6 approx.

 

8 ozs (225g) white flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

4 ozs (110g) butter

4 1/2 ozs (125g) castor sugar

1 egg, preferably organic and free-range

2 – 4 fl. ozs (50-125ml) milk, approx.

1-2 cooking apples – we use Bramley Seedling or Grenadier

2-3 cloves (optional)

egg wash

Ovenproof Plate (10 inch/25 1/2 cm)

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

Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles the texture of breadcrumbs, add 3 ozs (75g) castor sugar, make a well in the centre and mix to a soft dough with the beaten egg and enough milk to form a soft dough. Divide in two. Put one half onto a greased ovenproof plate and pat out with floured fingers to cover the base. Peel, core and chop up the apples, place them on the dough and add 1 1/2 ozs (45g) sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apples. Roll out the remaining pastry and fit on top, this is easier said than done as this ‘pastry’ is more like scone dough and as a result is very soft. Press the sides together, cut a slit through the lid, egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes approximately or until cooked through and nicely browned. Dredge with castor sugar and serve warm with Barbados sugar and softly whipped cream.

 

Fool Proof Food

 

Trout with Cream and Dill

Serves 4

In season:

Little rainbow trout are available in virtually every fish shop. This combination is surprisingly delicious and very fast to cook. If dill is difficult to find use a mixture of fresh herbs.

4 fresh trout

salt and freshly ground pepper

8g (3 oz) butter

175ml (6fl oz) cream

2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

Gut the trout, fillet carefully, wash and dry well. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Melt the butter in a frying pan, fry the trout fillets flesh side down until golden brown. Turn over on to the skin side, add cream and freshly chopped dill. Simmer gently for 3 or 4 minutes or until the trout is cooked. Taste the sauce to check the seasoning and serve immediately.

 

Hot Tips

 

Chef Mickael Viljanen’s food is really making waves at Gregan’s Castle at the edge of the Burren in Co Clare – he recently won an award in the Irish Food and Wine Magazine awards. It’s well worth making the detour to taste his food and while you are there stay the night in the lovely country house hotel

^{www.gregans.ie telephone 065 7077005}

Slow Food Limerick celebrates free range pork at Curragchase, Limerick on Sunday 27th September 12pm to 5pm with a Tamworth pig on the spit. Entry fee includes demonstrations on bee keeping, bread making and pig keeping. Contact Caroline Rigney on 087 2834754 for more details

^{www.rigneysfarm.com}

^{Details of this years National Organic Week from 14th to 20th September can be found on the Bord Bia website}

 

^{www.bordbia.ie}

Everywhere I go, every dinner party, every pub, every chance meeting, the topic of conversation is always the same, recessionary chit-chat and endless whinging about the hopeless ineffectual politicians. Yet if one poses the question – “Well what would you do if you were Taoiseach or Minister of Finance?” No one seems to have a coherent answer and let’s face it, there are few amongst us would like to be in their shoes at present.

So while the politicians et al are trying to find a solution, let’s just get on with it and help ourselves. Ordinary people like you and I can make a difference. One of the most exciting recession busting initiatives I’ve heard about is the Grow it Yourself (GIY) movement, a new not-for-profit organisation which was started by young Dublin journalist Michael Kelly, who moved to Waterford with his family five years ago. They dreamed of the good life, growing their own vegetables, having a few hens, maybe even a couple of pigs. Despite their enthusiasm and know-how starting their own vegetable plot proved daunting. It was difficult to find advice, even beginners’ guides to growing-your-own are full of gardening jargon and botanical terms, which confounds the inexperienced gardener – cultivars, hybrids, tilth, chitting, broad casting, pricking out…

Michael was madly keen and for some time he searched around for micro producers or organisations of likeminded people or other to swap ideas and experiences and to improve his skills. To his surprise none seemed to exist, so in his indomitable way, he decided to start something himself.

An exploratory press release to a local newspaper attracted an astonishing response, instead of the 10 maybe 20 people he expected to show up, 100 people arrived for an initial meeting in the room he booked at the local library.

Michael’s plan was to have a monthly meeting where amateurs, enthusiasts and seasoned growers could get together to share ideas, learn from each other, swap seeds and seedlings and chat with people who were keen to do the same thing.

It took off; within a couple of months there were six GIY groups within a 50 mile radius of Waterford. It’s got quite a different profile of members to the gardening clubs, more men than women and lots of cool young people who have been fired with enthusiasm about self sufficiency by Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver. Many are also spurred on by the realisation that the academic skills they have concentrated on to date are woefully inadequate in these changing times when basic life skills like being able to cook, garden and maybe keep a few hens are more beneficial for day to day survival and quality of life.

GIY meetings are free and open to anyone who is interested in growing food at all levels, from those who plant a few herbs on the balcony to complete self sufficiency. Everyone from beginners to old hands are welcome. Michael says there is a terrific spread of ages from a 12 year old who keeps his own hens to a seasoned 83 year old who grows vegetables in his garden in Waterford city.

Expert speakers share their knowledge at the meetings. There are practical demonstrations, garden visits, seed and plant swaps, produce bartering, mentor panels and growers meitheals. The latter draws on the old Irish tradition, where neighbours helped each other out during the hay making and threshing and at other busy times of the year. A group of GIY members now come together in the time honoured way to help someone who may get s overwhelmed by the prospect of tackling a briar or weed infested patch. There is tremendous camaraderie, neighbourliness and community spirit. It is so much more fun and develops social interaction while they dig or construct a raised bed together.

Michael wants to see a GIY branch in every town in Ireland. On Saturday 12^{th September. The first national GIY conference will be held in the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) from 9am – as part of the Waterford Harvest Festival – and will be opened by the Minister for Food and Horticulture Trevor Sargent. Other speakers include Joy Larkom, Will Sutherland, Clodagh McKenna, Michael Kelly…www.giyireland.com www.slowfoodireland.ie}

Tickets which include a seasonal dinner are available from

Roast Red and Yellow Beetroot Salad with Rocket Leaves

 

Serves 8

 

500g (1lb) red beetroots

500g (1lb) golden beetroots

(60g) 2 ½ oz hazelnuts

90ml (3 1/2 fl oz) honey or maple syrup

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cloves of garlic crushed

75g (3oz) rocket leaves or baby spinach

lots of chervil

Maldon sea salt and freshly ground salt and pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Mark 6 wash the beetroot gently don’t trim the root and leave 1 inch of stalk on top. Put into a roasting tin, cover and roast for 1 – 1 ½ hours or until tender when pierced with a skewer. Meanwhile toast the sunflower seeds for about 8 minutes and the hazelnuts for 10 or more. Rub off the skins and cut in half. Mix all the ingredients for dressing together, when the beets are cooked rub off the peel cut into chunks, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put into a serving bowl, add the leaves, toasted seeds and nuts and scatter with chervil.

 

 

Cucumber Neapolitana

 

This is a super recipe to use up a glut of cucumbers or courgettes and tomatoes. It is a

terrifically versatile vegetable dish which may be made ahead and reheats well. It is also delicious served with rice or pasta. It makes a great stuffing for tomatoes and is particularly good with Roast lamb.

 

Serves 6 approx.

 

1 Irish cucumber

½ oz (15g) butter

1 medium onion – 4 oz (110g) approx., sliced

4 very ripe Irish tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2½ fl oz (63ml) cream

1 dessertspoon freshly chopped mint

roux (optional)

 

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan, when it foams add the onion. Cover and sweat for 5 minutes approx. until soft but not coloured.

Meanwhile, peel the cucumber cut into ½ inch (1cm) cubes; add to the onions, toss well and continue to cook while you scald the tomatoes with water for 10 seconds. Peel the tomatoes and slice into the casserole, season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar. Cover the casserole and cook for a few minutes until the cucumbers are tender and the tomatoes have softened, add the cream and bring back to the boil. Add the freshly chopped mint. If the liquid is very thin, thicken it by carefully whisking in a little roux. Cucumber Neapolitana keeps for several days and may be reheated

 

.

Every guest cook who comes to the school introduces us to a few treasures which we incorporate into our repertoire. Madhur Jaffrey whose recipe this is has contributed more than most; I would recommend her books to anyone who would like to add a little spice to their lives.

Serves 4

1 lb (450g) fresh green French beans

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon whole black mustard seeds

4 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely chopped

1/2 – 1 hot, dried red chilli, coarsely crushed in a mortar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

freshly ground pepper

Trim the beans and cut them into 1 inch (2.5cm) lengths. Blanch the beans by dropping them into a pot of well-salted boiling water, boil rapidly for 3-4 minutes or until they are just tender. Drain immediately in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the garlic. Stir the garlic pieces around until they turn light brown, (be careful not to burn or it will spoil the flavour). Put in the crushed red chilli and stir for a few seconds, add the green beans, salt and sugar. Stir to mix. Turn the heat to medium-low. Stir and cook the beans for 3-4 minutes or until they have absorbed the flavour of the spices. Season with freshly ground black pepper, mix well and serve.

 

Almond Tart or Tartlets with Raspberries or Grapes

Serves 12

110 g (4 oz) butter

110 g (4 oz) castor sugar

110 g (4 oz) ground almonds

Filling

poached rhubarb or sliced fresh peaches or nectarines

fresh raspberries or loganberries, peeled and pipped grapes or kiwi fruit

1/2 pint (300 ml) whipped cream

Makes 24 tartlets or 2 x 7 inch (5 x 17.5 cm) tarts or 1 tart and 12 tartlets

Cream the butter well and then just stir in the sugar and ground almonds. (Don’t over beat or the oil will come out of the ground almonds as it cooks.) Put a teaspoon of the mixture into 24 small patty tins or divide between 2 x 7 inch sandwich tins. Bake at 1801C/3501F/regulo 4 for 20-30 minutes approx. or until golden brown, 10-12 minutes for tartlets or until golden brown. The tarts or tartlets are too soft to turn out immediately so cool in tins for about 5 minutes before turning out. Do not allow to set hard before removing to a wire rack or the butter will solidify and they will stick to the tins. If this happens pop the tins back into the oven for a few minutes so the butter melts and then they will come out easily. Just before serving, arrange segments of peach or nectarine, or whole raspberries, or peeled and pipped grapes on the base. Glaze with redcurrant jelly (red fruit) or apricot glaze (green or yellow fruit). Decorate with rosettes of cream.

Peach or Nectarine and Sweet Geranium Jam

Makes 4 x 200ml (7fl oz) jars900g (2lb) sliced nectarines or peeled peaches

4 tablespoons water

350g (12oz) sugar, warmed freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon3 sweet geranium leavesPut the fruit and water into a stainless-steel saucepan. Add the lemon juice and the sweet geranium leaves. Simmer over a medium heat. Cook until the fruit is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the warm sugar (see page 000). Bring to the boil, cook for 5 minutes until set. Pour in sterilised jars, cover and store in a cool, dry place. Eat soon but keeps for 4-5 months.

 

Fool Proof Food

 

Rose Petal Syrup

Pour a little of this rose petal syrup into a champagne glass and top up with Cava or Prosecco to make a gorgeous perfumed aperitif. Stir and float a rose petal on top. Makes 800ml (1 1/2 pints)

225g (8oz) fragrant rose petals from an old variety of unsprayed roses

500ml (18fl oz) water

700g (11/2lb) white sugar, warmed

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juicePut the petals into a stainless-steel saucepan with the cold water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat and simmer gently for 20–30 minutes. Strain the petals through a sieve, pressing to get out as much of the liquid as possible. Add the warmed sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice, bring back to the boil and simmer, uncovered, until thick and syrupy. Pour into bottles and seal.

Thrifty Tip.

Take advantage of the free blackberry crop in the hedgerows at present, they freeze perfectly; use them for tarts, pies, sorbets…

HotTips

Apart from the GIY launch at the Waterford Harvest Festival, other events include a Harvest Feast in the city centre on Sunday 13th September. Waterford and the sunny south east are celebrating its local food and artisan producers and are fast presenting a challenge to the Cork food culture.

 

 

Ballymaloe Cookery School

is holding the annual East Cork Slow Food Old Fashioned Threshing Event on Sunday 13th September 12pm to 5 pm. Forgotten Skills Demonstrations; How to make Homemade Sausages, How to make Irish Soda bread & Scones and How to keep a few Hens. Tickets are available on the day. For more information contact: 021 4646785 or email ^{slowfood@cookingisfun.ie Organic Rape Seed Oil Ben and Charlotte Colchester have been farming organically for over 30 years on their farm near Urlingford in Co Kilkenny. Their daughter Kitty has now joined them to produce organic rapeseed oil which is a highly nutritious and versatile with a delicious nutty flavour. It is available in the Ballymaloe Cookery School Farm Shop and at most of the farmers markets, Naas, Wicklow, Cork, Clonmel, Kilkenny… Telephone 056 88 31411 or find them on the Organic Trust website}

^{http://www.organic-trust.org/members/ Midleton Food and Drink Festival now in its fifth year is on Saturday 12th September. For more information visit}

^{www.midletonfoodfestival.ie}