We had a lovely invitation to spend a few days in the Bordeaux area with some French friends whose family have been making wine in the Pessac-Leognan, St Emilion, Margaux and Entre-deux-mers area since 1880.
We flew to Paris and then took a relaxing three hour train journey to Libourne. It’s been at least 20 years since my last visit to Bordeaux where everyone ‘lives, breathes and sleeps’ wine. The landscape is covered with row after row of meticulously pruned vines sometimes with a red rose bush planted at the end. Originally this was used as an early indication of mildew which tended to attack the roses before the vines.
There are many charming wine villages and chateaux names that are familiar from restaurant wine lists. Many of the grandest date back to the 18th Century, others are less resplendent and some just simple farmhouses, but in Bordeaux it’s the terroir that really matters. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semilion are the principal grape varieties for dry wines yet produce utterly different wines depending of whether the soil is gravelly, chalky, heavy clay or a mixture.
Every vineyard owner knows every inch of their soil minutely, this is the foundation. After that there is the skill of viticulture and vinification .One chateau we visited, Cheval Blanc, buys barrels from eight different coopers, each adds a different attribute to the wine and then there’s the skill of aging and blending. Christine Lurton at Chateau Dauzac tells us they choose the barrels from five different coopers.
We also met the iconic wine maker Andre Lurton owner of six properties in the Et Emilion. He oversees the making of over four millions bottles of wine a year and knows each vintage intimately. He has devoted his whole life to enhancing the quality of Bordeaux wines and now his family is following in his footsteps. Unlike Burgundy, Bordeaux does not have a particularly distinguished food culture; really renowned restaurants are few and far between, apart from Entrecote Bordelaise, Lamprey eels, cannelés and macaroons, it’s difficult to track down local specialities.
However we didn’t need to worry, we were staying with Jean Pierre Moullé and his family so every meal was a simple and beautiful feast. Jean Pierre – married to Denise, one of the Lurton wine family girls – is head chef for six months of the year at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California.
His food totally reflects what’s in season in his garden. It was so wonderful to lie in a hammock under the Mirelle plum tree, enjoying the sounds and the delicious smells emanating from the kitchen just across the garden – such a precious moment.
A visit to the local butcher to buy meat for dinner was like going back in time in Ireland. Convivial conversation between the customers as they waited their turn to be served, the butcher produced a few glasses and poured us a measure of pineau des Charentes, a mixture of Cognac and fresh grape juice and proudly dispenses samples of his boudin noir for us to taste. One of the most delicious and bizarre taste combinations I’ve encountered at 11:30 in the morning. There are still local markets every day in different towns and villages. I was intrigued in particular by the variety of cured meats, every scrap of meat and poultry is used. Fromage de Tête, rilettes, salami, saussicons… Chickens still come with their heads and feet attached, some ducks also. The tradition of curing and preserving food for the winter is waning since the widespread use of the freezer. However a 5 day power cut last winter which resulted in many people losing their entire supply has kindled a renewed interest in more traditional methods of preserving, like confit, pickling, jam making and curing. One spirited youngster I met squirmed when she talked of the bizarre but delicious things her 86 year old grandmother cooked Sanguette (Chicken’s blood with shallots, parsley) but nonetheless realised the urgency of learning these skills before it was too late.

Here are some of the delicious things we enjoyed for picnics and meals both in the garden and indoors.

Pizza with Salmon Crème Fraicĥe and Chives

Jean Pierre had recently built a pizza oven in his garden so we made a batch of dough and experimented with his new toy. French flour is quite different to Irish flour but nonetheless the results were delicious. We brought some of Bill Casey’s Shanagarry organic smoked salmon as a present and Jean Pierre used that to make this delicious pizza.

1 pizza base (9 to 10 inch)
extra virgin olive oil
thinly sliced onion
2 tablespoons or more crème fraicĥe
2 to 3 slices of Irish smoked salmon
teaspoon finely chopped chives
freshly cracked pepper

Pre heat the oven to 500º 260F Gas10 or more. Heat a heavy baking tray if possible. Stretch or roll the dough into a 10 inch round. Sprinkle a pizza paddle with flour or cornmeal; transfer the pizza to the paddle. Brush the top with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with paper thin onion rings, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes in the oven or until the pizza is bubbly around the edges and fully cooked. Remove from the oven and then spread with crème fraiche, cover the surface with thin slices of smoked salmon and sprinkle with chopped chives, season with freshly cracked pepper and enjoy immediately.

Pizza Ladierè

This is a French version of pizza not to be confused with its Italian cousin and makes a perfect summer lunch or a delicious starter.

Serves 6

Yeast Base

450g (14oz) white baker’s flour
150ml (¼ pint) luke warm water
15g (½ oz) fresh yeast
2 organic eggs
1 scant teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 – 5 onions sliced
3 teaspoons or more of thyme, basil and finely chopped rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Small can anchovies 60g (2oz)
60g (2oz) Kalamata or Nice olives

35cm flan ring or low-sided tart tin or baking tray

First make the dough. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, I use a heavy old fashioned cream mixing bowl, so it’s an advantage to warm it first. Mix the yeast in a small bowl with the warm water, stir to dissolve, pour into the four, allow to stand for 4 or 5 minutes, it will start to bubble slightly, then add the beaten eggs and salt. Mix to a softish dough. Turn out onto a floured board; cover and leave for 3 or 4 minutes, then knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and springy. Rub a little oil over the surface. Pop into a bowl, cover the top with cling film and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled size – about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, add the sliced onion and chopped herbs, season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss cover and cook on a gentle heat until the onions are really soft and melting.

Drain the anchovies and cut in half lengthwise. Half and stone the olives.

When the dough has doubled in bulk, ‘knock back’ by kneading for a minute or two. Roll the dough into a round and ft into a flan ring or simply lay on a baking sheet 35 cm round approx. Spread the melted mixture over the base. Grind a little freshly ground pepper on top. Arrange the anchovy strips in a lattice over the onions. Pop a half olive into each diamond. Allow to rise in your warm kitchen for 10 to 15 minutes while the oven is preheating to 200c bake for 10 minutes, reduce to 180 – 350 – 4 and continue to cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Or until nicely browned around the edges, serve hot or at room temperature.

Anne Willan’s Entrecôte a la Bordelaise

Entrecôte Steak with Beef Marrow (taken from ‘French Regional Cooking’ by Anne Willan)

Charente supplies Bordeaux not only with butter but with beef. There are two ways of serving this dish; in country districts books don’t bother with the sauce bordelaise but simply top the steak with bone marrow and pour the pan juices dissolved in a little red wine over it. Any good cut of steak, cut 5cm/2in thick can be used. If possible ask the butcher to extract marrow from marrow bones, otherwise use a sharp knife to remove it yourself.

Serves 5

1kg (2lb) entrecôte steak
2 tablespoons oil
salt
125g (4oz) beef marrow sliced
bunch of watercress

Sauce Bordelaise

80g (2 ½ oz) butter
5 shallots finely chopped
250ml (9fl oz) red wine, preferably Bordeaux
salt and coarsely ground black pepper
pinch of thyme
pinch of grated nutmeg
250ml (9fl oz) broth

Begin the sauce bordelaise: melt a tablespoon of the butter in a heavy saucepan, add the shallots and cook over a low fire for 3 – 4 minutes to soften. Add the wine, a pinch of salt and coarsely ground black pepper, the thyme and nutmeg. Boil until reduced by about half. Add the broth and boil again to reduce by about half.
Brush the steak with oil and sprinkle it with pepper. Leave to marinate for a few minutes while heating the grill/broiler to very hot. Put the marrow in a pot of simmering water and poach for 2 – 3 minutes or until just tender. Drain and dice the marrow, cover and keep warm.
Grill/broil the entrecôte for 8 minutes. Turn it over, sprinkle with salt and grill the other side for about 7 more minutes (for rare meat). While the steak is cooking, finish the sauce: reheat the sauce to boiling. Take it from the heat and stir in the remaining butter, a piece at a time. Stir in the diced marrow and taste the sauce for seasoning.
To serve, cut the steak in diagonal slices, arrange it on a platter and spoon over a little sauce. Decorate the platter with watercress and serve the remaining sauce separately.

Fool Proof Food

Fresh Blueberry Slices

Irish blueberries are in season once again they are full of antioxidants which help to build up our resistance to winter colds and flu. They are enormously versatile and delicious. Throw a fistful into your muffin mixture, scones or even soda bread, add them to salads or sprinkle them over your morning muesli. Look out for them in shops and farmers markets and gorge yourself on as many as you can in the next few weeks. Most importantly check that they are Irish before you pop them into your shopping basket.

Makes 24

6 ozs (175g) soft butter
6 ozs (175g) castor sugar
2 eggs, preferably free range
6 ozs (175g) self-raising flour

½ to ¾ lb fresh Irish blueberries
1oz or more caster sugar

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

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

Put the butter, castor sugar, eggs and self-raising flour into a food processor. Whizz for a few seconds to amalgamate. Spread evenly in the well buttered tin. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the top of the cake mixture and spread about 1 oz of caster sugar over the berries. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes approx. or until golden brown and well risen. As soon as the cake mixture is cooked, sprinkle a little caster sugar over the top cut into squares and serve warm with Crème Fraiche or thick Glen Ilen Farm Cream.

Remove the biscuits from the tin if keeping for a few days unless the tin is coated with Teflon.

Thrifty Tip

First Grenadier early cooker apples are out now and make delicious tarts and fluffy apple sauce, freeze the surplus.

Hottips

Declan Ryan of Arbutus Breads sells ready made dough for pizza bases at the Farmers Market in Midleton on Tuesday and Saturday and Mahon Point on Thursdays. All you need to do is roll it out and add the topping. Telephone 021 4501061 or email info@arbutusbread.com 021 4501061

Britain is to have its first degree course in artisan food. It is being offered from September 2009 by the University of Derby. The Bachelor of Science course at the Wellbeck Estate in North Nottinghamshire is the UK’s first degree course to teach practical artisan skills. Students will learn how to make cheese, bread, pickles, beer and other artisan skills.  www.schoolofartisanfood.org
There is also a growing interest and demand for the now well established Diploma in Speciality Food Production at University College Cork. Please contact Dr Angela Sheehan, Tel. 021-4901423 / 4903178 Email: a.sheehan@ucc.ie for further information.

Waterford Harvest Food Festival celebrates local food, heritage and culture from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September, for more information visit www.slowfoodireland.com

Last week I brought a beautiful basket of new seasons Swiss chard into the Midleton Farmers market. Juicy white stalks and lots of green leaf. Two beautiful vegetables in one. A couple of customers’ faces lit up when they saw it but overall there was little interest. I wanted to tell anyone who would listen to me that it is virtually my favourite green vegetable. Kale just pips it at the post in Winter. When I was little green vegetables were definitely not my favourite. Now I love them with a passion, it’s almost like a craving. I would quite happily sit down to a plate of chard for supper with nothing more than a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil and a few flakes of sea salt and a little pepper. Sadly chard is often forgotten or passed over partly because many are unsure what to do with it. The sweet earthy flavour of this versatile vegetable marries well with lots of other vegetables, meat, fish and shellfish. The leafy green tops can be stripped off the juicy stalks and they can be served separately or together.
Swiss chard with its thick, creamy coloured stalks is possibly best known, but we also grow Ruby chard which has vibrant red stalks and a variety called rainbow chard which is so beautiful in either an herbaceous border or vegetable plot. If you only have a little space n your garden it’s worth considering. It’s quite hardy and will keep you well supplied throughout the winter. Meanwhile look out for it in Farmers’ Markets and farm shops and here are several delicious ways to enjoy it.

Chick pea and Chard and Chorizo Soup

Serves 4

More a meal than a soup, this is all I need to eat to pep me up at lunchtime during the week.  Finished with a good splash of grassy, peppery, extra virgin olive oil, it is unctuous and truly lovely.

200g (7oz) dried chick peas, soaked overnight
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
Juice of ½ lemon
2 dried chillies
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the back of a knife
110g (4oz) chorizo, chopped
3 teaspoons of finely chopped rosemary
2 x 340g (12oz) jars (or tinned) good quality peeled plum tomatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre good chicken stock (or water if you prefer)
300g (10oz) Swiss chard
2 slices of day-old chewy peasant style bread, crusts removed
75-90g (3-4oz) Parmesan, freshly grated

Drain the chick peas, rinse and place in a large heavy-based pan.  Cover generously with cold water, but do not season.  Bring to the boil over a medium heat, and then turn the heat down.  Simmer gently for 1 ½ hours or until the chick peas are soft, skimming away any scum from the surface every now and then.  Drain and dress with 1 tbsp extra virgin oil and the lemon juice.

In the meantime, warm 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat.  Crumble in the chillies and add the garlic, chorizo and chopped rosemary.  Cook for a minute or so to release the flavours, then add the tomatoes and stir well to break them up, adding a good pinch of salt.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes, then pour in the chicken stock and cook for a further 10 minutes.  Finally add the cooked chick peas and simmer gently for 40 minutes.

Towards the end of the cooking time, prepare the chard.  Wash and pat dry, then strip the leaves from the pale central stalk, using a small sharp knife; set aside.  Trim the stalks and cut into 1cm chunks.  Add these to a pan of well-salted boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, then add the soft green outer leaves and cook for a further minute.  Drain.

Break the bread into small pieces and stir into the soup along with the parmesan, turning the heat to low.  Add the chard and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.  The soup should be deeply flavoured and thick.  Add a little more Parmesan and/or olive oil if needed.  Ladle into warm soup plates and serve.

Jean Pierre Moullé’s Chard Frittata

Jean Pierre is head chef at Chez Panisse in Berkley, California for six  months of the year. During the summer months he lives in Bordeaux and teaches cooking classes. This was one of the many delicious things I ate when I spent a few days with him and his family.

Serves 8

6 free range organic eggs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive
25g (1oz) butter
2 medium onions finely chopped
125 – 150g (4 ½ – 5oz) Parmesan grated
6 – 8 Chard Stems
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 x tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
10 g (½ oz) butter
25.5cm – 10in non stick or cast iron frying pan

Heat a pan, add the extra virgin olive oil and butter add onion, toss and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook over a gentle heat, add garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Strip the green from the stalks of the chard. Chop the stalks into roughly 1 inch pieces. Bring 2 pints of water to the boil; add salt (3 teaspoons – 2 pints)
Toss in stalks cook for 4 – 5 minutes; add half or more of the chopped greens and cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes. Drain really well, add to the onion and garlic and cook for 8 – 10 minutes.
Whisk the eggs, season well with salt, and freshly ground pepper add grated parmesan, and the cooled chard and onions. Heat a non-stick or cast iron frying pan on a low heat. Add a half ounce of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil. Pour in the mixture, cook for a further 7 – 8 minutes until the edges are well coloured; transfer to a pre heated moderate oven for 10 – 12 minutes. Allow to settle, un-mould. Serve at room temperature with a good green salad.

Madhur Jaffrey’s Salmon Poached with Tomatoes and Swiss Chard

Serves 5-6

1 1/2lbs (675g) salmon fillet (get the thick centre section of a large salmon and ask the fishmonger to remove the skin)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4lb (350g) Swiss chard
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion (4oz/110g), peeled and cut in half, lengthways, and then cut crossways into fine half rings
1 1/2 inch (4cms) cube of fresh ginger, peeled and first cut into very thin slices and then into very fine slivers
8 canned plum tomatoes, chopped
4fl oz (110ml) thick coconut milk (straight from a well-stirred can)

Cut the salmon fillet, crossways, into 5-6 portions (as many as there are people).  Pull out bones, if any, with a pair of tweezers.  Put some salt and pepper on both sides of the fish pieces and set aside for 20 minutes or longer.

Swiss chard leaves have a hard, central vein that also becomes the stalk.  Using a sharp, pointed knife, cut this out from all the leaves.  Cut the green, leafy section, crossways, into 1/4 inch (5mm) wide strips.  Set aside.  Collect a few stems-veins at a time and cut them, crossways, into 18 inch (3mm) wide strips.

Heat the oil in a very large frying-pan or a very wide sauté pan over a medium-high flame.  When hot, put in the onion, ginger and chard stems.  Sauté for about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes.  Continue to sauté for another 4-5 minutes.  Add the coconut milk and 3/4 pint (450ml) water, 1 teaspoons of salt and some black pepper.  Stir to mix and bring to a simmer.  Simmer on a low heat for a minute.  This much of the recipe can be done ahead of time.

Just before you sit down to eat, bring the sauce to a simmer again.  Put in the cut up chard leaves and stir them in.  Lay the fish pieces in a single layer over the top of the sauce.  Spoon some of the thinner, more watery parts of the sauce over the fish.  Cover.  Simmer for 5 minutes or until the fish has just cooked through.

To serve: Using a good sized spatula, lift a piece of fish with some of the greens and solids in the sauce and put it in the centre of a plate.  Spoon some of the thinner part of the sauce over the top of the fish.  The sauce will flow to the edge of the plate as it should.  Make up all the plates this way and serve immediately.  Serve with rice or potatoes.

Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb with Chickpeas, Chard, Peppers and Paprika.

Serves 8

1 shoulder of lamb
extra virgin olive oil
3 onions
3 peppers
6 cloves garlic
1kg (2lbs) ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons smoked or sweet paprika
2 – 3 chillies
sprig of thyme and 2 bay leaves
300ml (10 floz) dry white wine
300ml (10 floz) chicken or lamb stock
450g (1 lb) chickpeas
1 bunch of chard
salt and freshly ground pepper

1 wide sauté pan

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in the sauté pan over a medium heat. Score the skin of the lamb with salt and freshly ground pepper. Brown on the fat side for 4 – 5 minutes then turn over and continue for a few minutes more. Remove from the pan, add the quartered onions, peeled garlic cloves, continue to cook on a low heat for 5 – 6 minutes, add the chillies, peppers, chopped tomatoes, thyme bay leaves and paprika. Stir and cook for 3 o 4 minutes, add the wine and stock, add the lamb and cook for 2 – 2 ½ hours with on a very low heat or in the oven at 170°C, 325°F, mark 3.
Meanwhile drain off the soaking water from the chick peas, Cover with fresh water bring to the boil and continue to cook until plump and tender, 45 minutes to one hour.
When the meat is almost falling off the bones, remove the thyme and bay leaves, add the drained chick peas, and toss well in the tomato and pepper mixture.
Just before serving, prepare the chard, just before serving, chop the chard into 1 inch pieces, cook in well salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, and add the chopped leaves. Drain and Allow to bubble for 4 or 5 minutes. Taste, correct seasoning, it may need salt, freshly ground pepper and paprika. Carve the lamb in chunks. Transfer to a large serving plate and serve surrounded with chard and chickpeas.

Fool Proof Food

Melted Chard Stalks with Bacon and Hazelnuts

Here is a way to cook the green parts of chard as you would spinach.

Serves 4–6

900g (2lb) white or ruby chard stalks
10g (1/2oz) butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
50g (2oz) streaky bacon, cut into very fine lardons
110g (4oz) onion finely diced
salt and freshly ground pepper
50g (2oz) hazelnuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1/2 tablespoon sage

String the chard stalks with a swivel top vegetable peeler and chop into 7.5cm (3in) lengths. Melt the butter and olive oil in an oval casserole. Add the bacon and cook for 1–2 minutes. Add the diced onion and sweat for a further 2–3 minutes. Add the chard stalks, toss, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, cover the casserole and cook on a low heat for 20–25 minutes.
Meanwhile roast the hazelnuts in a moderate oven for 5–8 minutes, until the skins loosen. Rub off the skins, chop, add the marjoram or sage to the chard and cook for a minute or two. Add the toasted hazelnuts, toss and serve.

Thrifty Tip
Place sprigs of thyme into the pockets of clothes to protect them from moths.

Hottips

Euro-toques, National Food Forum and Fairs theme this year is ‘The Whole Hog’ focusing on how we rear, kill and eat pigs in Ireland. Sunday 6th September, at Brooklodge, Macreddin Village, Co Wicklow. To book a stall or to participate in Forum and Tastings contact Ruth 01-6779995 or info@eurotoquesirl.org

Richard Bertinet – from the famous Bertinet Kitchen Cookery School in Bath, Somerset – an award winning baker, is coming to Ballymaloe Cookery School to teach a practical one and half day course on the art of bread making from Tuesday 15th to Wednesday 16th September. For further details telephone 021 4646 785 or email susan@cookingisfun.ie

Those of you who have a concern about Sustainable Seafood and would like to learn more, you might want to join the Marine Conservation Society. First check out the website www.mcsuk.org it’s a mine of useful information.

Arto der Haroutunian’s name may not be familiar to many but for those with a penchant for North African food, it’s a name worth noting. Arto was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1940 and grew up in the Levant but came to the UK with his parents as a child and remained there for most of his life.

He studied architecture, painted, composed music and established a career designing restaurants, clubs and hotels. He opened the first Armenian restaurant in Manchester in 1970. He combined his love of food with his interest in culture and food history. He died in 1987 at the untimely age of 47.

Given his passion for food it was a natural progression that he should begin to write cookbooks that combined his love of food with his great interest in the history and culture of the Middle East.

It was his belief that the rich culinary tradition of that area is the main source of many of our Western Cuisines and his books were intended as an introduction to that tradition. Second hand copies of those early cooks now fetch hundreds of pounds and are hard to come by. So I was doubly delighted when Grub Street Press in the UK decided to re-publish North African Cookery – a gorgeous collection from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, over 300 recipes from traditional dishes, such as tagines, stews, soups and salads using classic ingredients, fiery spices, jewel like dried fruits, pickled lemons and armfuls of fresh herbs. Simplicity if at the heart of the Medina kitchen.

Indonesian cuisine is perhaps the hottest of the region – they love that fiery harissa which I also relish. Tunisian food has strong French influences and pasta is also a passion.

Morocco’s great forte is its exotic tajines of fish, meat and vegetables. Libya, although less gastronomically subtle, excels in soups and patisserie. Here are a few gems to whet your appetite for the book.

 

Arto der Haroutunian’s Tajine Lham Bil Djelbana

Meat and Pea Tajine

‘Don’t say I have beans until they are in the measure’

Moroccan proverb

Serves 6

 

You can prepare this classic tajine in two ways – Moroccan or, as with the recipe below, Algerian. Moroccans would use saffron (of course!) – 1 whole teaspoonful at that – and also 1 teaspoon ginger, zest of a pickled lemon and a few preserved olives. Algerians on the other hand use tomato purée – a French-Italian habit, but nice!

900g (2lb) shoulder or leg of lamb cut into 5cm (2in) pieces

4–5 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon smen or 15g (1/2oz) butter

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 large tomato, blanched, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon tomato purée diluted in 4–5 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

11/2 teaspoons salt

1 level tablespoon sugar

900g (2lb) peas

Place all the ingredients except the sugar and peas in a large saucepan and fry over a gentle heat, stirring frequently. Add enough water to cover by about 2.5cm (1in) and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Add the sugar and peas, stir well, recover and simmer for a further 15–20 minutes or until the meat and peas are cooked. If necessary uncover the pan and simmer for a few minutes or until the sauce thickens.

The traditional way of serving this tajine is to serve it in a large dish accompanied by flat bread such as pita or chappati. You break the bread into pieces, shape it like a spoon and scoop the meat and peas into it.

 

You could also reduce the pea content to 450g (1lb) and add 450g (1lb) peeled and thinly sliced carrots.

Another attractive variation, Lham bil Djelbana wel Bayd – from Tizi Ouzou in Algeria, or so I was given to believe by a native of that town, now happily married with 4 children and a buxom wife and living in Oldham – is to transfer the cooked dish to a large tajine or casserole, to break 6 eggs separately over the top and to place in an oven pre-heated to 400f, 200c, Gas Mark 6 for 5–7 minutes or until set. Serve in the tajine or casserole garnished with a little chopped parsley or mint.

Arto der Haroutunian’s Tbikha Selg Bi Roz

Spinach with Rice and Almonds

 

Serves 6

 

Rice is not widely used in North Africa – the exceptions being Libya and Egypt where the Arab grain, rice, predominates over couscous. This simple and filling dish from Algeria can be eaten on its own or as an accompaniment to meat or fish-based dishes.

 

900g (2lb) fresh spinach

1 clove garlic

1 dried chilli pepper, soaked in 5 tablespoons cold water

1 teaspoon salt

150ml (1/4 pint) oil

1 teaspoon paprika

1

 

/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons long-grain rice, rinsed thoroughly under cold water

300ml (1/2 pint) water

2 tablespoons blanched almonds, toasted until golden under a hot grill

Discard thick stems and discoloured leaves of spinach and rinse remainder thoroughly under cold running water. Drain and chop coarsely. Bring a large saucepan half filled with lightly salted water to the boil. Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes. Drain into a colander.

Meanwhile in a mortar or blender crush the garlic, chilli pepper with its water, and the salt. Transfer this mixture to a large saucepan, add the oil, paprika and black pepper and fry gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

When cool enough to handle squeeze as much water as possible from the spinach and add to the pan. Stir in the rice and water and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the water absorbed. Transfer the spinach mixture to a large serving dish and sprinkle with the toasted almonds.

 

Arto der Haroutunian’s Batata Maglia Bil Dersa

Spicy Fried Potatoes

Fried potatoes North African-style with a hot sauce. They are an excellent accompaniment to grilled meats and Mergues.

Serves 6

1.5 kg (about 3lb) potatoes, peeled and washed

Oil for frying

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon harissa (see Darina Allen’s Food File Irish Examiner Saturday 8th August)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground caraway

to serve

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cut the potatoes into 1/2–1cm (1/4–1/2in) thick rounds and then into 1/2–1cm (1/4–1/2in) sticks. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes and then pat dry.

Meanwhile add sufficient oil to cover the base of a large saucepan by 1cm (1/2in) and heat. When hot add some of the potato sticks and fry until cooked and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Cook the remaining potato sticks in the same way. (You can deep fry them in a chip pan if you wish.)

When all the potatoes are cooked pour off most of the oil leaving only about 3–4 tablespoons in the pan. Add the garlic, harissa, salt and caraway and fry for 1 minute. Stir in 60ml (2fl oz) water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3–4 minutes. Add the fried potatoes and stir well to coat with the sauce. Simmer for a few minutes to evaporate excess liquid. Pile the potatoes into a dish, sprinkle with the vinegar and black pepper and serve.

Arto der Haroutunian’s Mergues

Spicy sausage

These are hot, spicy sausages popular throughout North Africa, but are best in Tunisia. They are very versatile, and can be grilled, baked, cooked in omelettes etc. In recent years they have appeared in France, brought when the pieds-noirs (French North Africans) returned from Algeria en masse. Although they are now sold by French butchers, the best are still to be found in the small Tunisian café-restaurants that have sprung up all over French cities.

Another sausage, saucisse de foie, is made with liver – usually calf but sometimes chicken. It is grey in colour and is less spicy than the classic Mergues.

900g (2lb) lean lamb or beef

175g (6oz) beef fat

4 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon chilli pepper

2 teaspoons harissa (see Darina Allen’s Food File Irish Examiner Saturday 8th August)

1 tablespoon powdered fennel seeds

150ml (1/4 pint) oil

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

About 1m (40in) sheep or beef intestines, cleaned

Mince the meat, fat and garlic together and transfer to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients (except the intestines) and knead for several minutes until smooth and well blended.

Meanwhile soak the intestines in cold water for 3 hours, which makes them easier to handle. To put the mixture into the intestines you need a plastic funnel with a nozzle width of about 2.5cm (1in).

Fit one end of the intestine over the nozzle and gently work the whole of the intestine onto the nozzle. Force the meat down through the funnel into the intestine. As the intestine fills up it will slip off the nozzle. When the whole intestine is full run it lightly through one hand to distribute the meat evenly. Set aside. Continue until you have used up all the meat.

To make into sausages, fold one intestine in half and then tie or knot at 15cm (6in) intervals. Leave to hang over the sink for 4–5 hours before using. Store in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze until required.

 

 

Arto der Haroutunian’s Kab-El-Ghazel

Gazelle Horns

Makes 16

Continuing on the theme of almonds this recipe, another classic of Berber origin popular in Morocco an Algeria, is dedicated to the horns of the favourite Arab animal – the gazelle, a symbol of grace, beauty and gentleness. It is also one of the few pastries that can be found in most pâtisseries.

225g (8oz) plain flour

2 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

Filling

225g (8oz) ground almonds

175g (6oz) icing sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2-4 tablespoons orange blossom water

First prepare the filling by mixing the almonds, icing sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Add enough of the orange blossom water to bind the mixture together. Knead until smooth. Divide into 16 balls. Roll each ball into a sausage about 5cm (2in) long which is thicker in the middle and tapers at both ends. Set aside.

Sift the flour for the pastry into a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre and add the melted butter and orange blossom water. Gradually fold the flour in and then, little by little, add just enough cold water to form a dough. Place on a work surface and knead for at least 20 minutes until the dough is very smooth and elastic. Divide into 2 balls. Take one ball of dough and roll it out into a strip about 10cm (4in) wide and at least 75cm (30in) long. You will find that you will be able to stretch the pastry by wrapping first one end of the pastry and then the other over the rolling pin and pulling gently.

Arrange 8 of the almond sausages on the pastry in a line about 3.5cm (11/2in) in from the long edge nearest you, leaving about 5cm (2in) between each sausage. Fold the pastry over the sausages to enclose them completely. Cut down between each sausage. Taking 1 pastry at a time press the edges together to seal in the filling. Trim the pastry edge to a semi-circle, but do not cut too close to the filling or the edges will be forced open during cooking and the filling will ooze out. Crimp the edges with the prongs of a fork. Now pinch the pastry up to form a steep ridge and gently curve the ends around to form a crescent-shape. Repeat with the remaining pastries. Repeat with remaining ball of dough and almond filling.

Place on greased baking sheets and cook in an oven preheated to 350f, 180c, Gas Mark 4 for 20-30 minutes or until a pale golden colour. Cool on wire racks and store in an airtight tin when cold.

 

kab-el-ghazel mfenned

 

Prepare the pastries as above and when they are cooked soak them in orange blossom water and then roll in icing sugar until they are completely coated and are snow-white in colour.

 

 

Hottips

Sweet corn

Catherine and Vincent O’Donovan’s bright yellow roadside stall on the main Cork to Innishannon Road sells juicy sweet corn. They are open every day and hope to have sweet corn for the next two months. Order sweet corn to freeze…telephone Vincent 087-2486031.The Slow Food West Cork

Annual Summer Picnic is on Sunday August 30th. A revival of the Somerville and Ross tradition of climbing up the hill overlooking Lough Hyne and enjoying a scrumptious picnic while gazing at the spectacular view! The packed picnics this year are being prepared by Susan Fehily of the River Lane Cafe in Ballineen (023) 47173. Full details and order form can be found at thttp://www.slowfoodireland.com/local-events%7Cnews-page8206.html  of the SlowFoodIreland website. Orders MUST be in by Wednesday August 26^th.

Castlefarm Allotment

Our Ladies Hospital in Crumlin and St Brigid’s Hospice on the Curragh will benefit from the bountiful harvest of the Castlefarm organic allotments on 28th-30th of August.  Allotment holders at Kildare’s Castlefarm will run a festival to celebrate the first year of the Castlefarm allotments, to give over 30 green fingered allotment holders a chance to show off their achievements. Information and tickets available from Jenny at Castlefarm Shop on 059-8636948 or

^{jenny@castlefarmshop.ie.}

Oh my goodness, the weather would drive you to the drink. I am often at a loss to know what to cook for supper, one minute there is thunder and lightning and flash floods, within half an hour one could be searching for a deck chair to enjoy the scorching sun.

This evening I had planned to have a gorgeous salad of summer vegetables for supper with some soused mackerel but the weather changed again, there’s a howling gale and pelting rain and no one will thank me for a cold supper. So I think I’ll cook a neck of lamb moussaka that we tested recently, which we all loved. Neck of lamb is deliciously sweet and terrifically good value for money.

I also love a little streaky bacon glazed – that’s a good plan because I can serve that hot or cold so I can be ready for ‘figaries’ of the Irish Summer. Served hot it would be delicious with a fondue of ripe tomatoes, some beans and a few floury potatoes. If the sun is perchance splitting the stones, I’ll serve it with a few salads. Our heirloom tomatoes have just come on stream, a variety of beautiful juicy fruit in odd shapes and colours with bizarre names. They make the most beautiful salads. Simply sprinkle the thick slices of fruit with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar. Halve a lemon and squeeze it over, add lots of fresh mint or basil and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Taste and tweak until the balance is right. Irish cucumbers are also in season at present, try this salad with radishes and Irish cucumber.

Hard-Boiled Eggs with Anchovy, Pepper and Flat Parsley

I also love this salad, a lovely little supper dish on its own.
Serves 4-8

8 organic eggs
115ml (4fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly on a microplane
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 5mm (1/4in) dice
8 – 12 anchovies, either salted or in vinegar
flat parsley leaves
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper
lots of crusty bread and rocket leaves

Hard-boil the eggs. Cool, peel, wash and split in half lengthways. Arrange in a single layer, cut side up, on a serving dish. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic slices. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes until pale golden (careful not to burn or the garlic will turn bitter and acrid). Reduce the temperature, add the pepper and toss for no more than a minute. Turn off the heat, cool, and add the chopped anchovy. Spoon over the hard-boiled eggs and top with snipped flat parsley. Season with freshly cracked pepper and a little sea salt. Serve with crusty bread and rocket leaves.

Cucumber, Radish, Feta, Flat Parsley and Nigella Seeds

Serves 6-8

1 cucumber

2 bunches radishes

225g (8oz) feta, cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) dice

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

lots of flat parsley sprigs and mint leaves

1 – 2 tablespoons nigella seeds

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then in half again. Cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) dice. Trim the radishes and cut into similar size pieces. Mix the cucumber and feta in a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Toss gently, add lots of flat parsley and fresh mint leaves. Taste and correct seasoning. Sprinkle with nigella seeds.

 

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil, Olive Oil and Irish Honey

The Ballymaloe Cookery School stall has a unique selection of heirloom tomatoes of all shapes and sizes. Red, yellow, black, striped, round, pear shaped, oval. They make a divine tomato salad with fresh buffalo mozzarella and lots of fresh basil.

Serves 4

 

8 very ripe heirloom tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 dessertspoon pure Irish honey

3 tablespoons Mani extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves

 

Cut the tomatoes into ¼ inch (5mm) thick slices, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix the oil and honey together and add ‘torn’ basil leaves, pour over the tomatoes and toss gently. Taste, correct seasoning if necessary. A little freshly squeezed lemon juice enhances the flavour in a very delicious way.

 

Cooked Baby Carrots

1 lb (450g) carrots, Early Nantes and Autumn King have particularly good flavour

4 fl ozs (100ml) cold water

Pinch of salt

A good pinch of sugar

 

Cut off the tops and tips, scrub and peel thinly if necessary. Leave very young carrots whole. Put them in a saucepan with water, salt and sugar. Bring to the boil, cover and cook over a gentle heat until tender, by which time the liquid should have all been absorbed into the carrots, but if not remove the lid and increase the heat until all the water has evaporated. Taste and correct the seasoning.

 

 

Emer Fitzgerald’s Braised Lamb Neck Moussaka

Serves 8

2 x lamb necks (approximately 1.6kgs / 3 ½ lbs in total)

450g (1 lb) onions

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 x 400g / 14oz cans of chopped tomatoes

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves chopped

800ml lamb stock

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

2 aubergines (500g /18oz) in total

500g (18oz) potatoes, scrubbed well

50g (2oz) raisins

Cheese Sauce:

45g (1 ½ oz) butter

45g (1 ½ oz) flour

600ml (1 pint) milk

1 bay leaf

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon of cream

4oz grated Gruyere cheese

Equipment

1 earthenware dish 25.5 x 21.5cm (10 x 8 1/2 inch)

1 large casserole

Preheat oven to 150º/ 300°F/ Mark 2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large casserole dish. Season the lamb necks with salt and freshly ground pepper. Brown the meat on all sides in the oil. Remove and place on a plate. Add the onions and garlic to the casserole, cook over medium heat for 3 – 4 minutes until soft and beginning to brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg and chopped marjoram. Season with salt and pepper and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the lamb stock and bring to the boil. Add back in the lamb necks. Cover the casserole and place in a preheated oven for 2 – 2 ½ hours or until tender. The meat should be falling off the bone.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted until two thirds cooked. Peel and slice into 5mm (1/4 inch) slices.

Slice the aubergine into ½ inch slices. Sprinkle with salt and allow to de-gorge in a colander for half an hour. Preheat a grill pan. Pat the aubergines dry, toss in olive oil. Cook in a preheated grill pan until golden on both sides. When the lamb is cooked, remove from the braising liquid. Coarsely shred the lamb, removing any bones or sinew. Strain the vegetables from the liquid and add to the lamb. Moisten this mixture with some of the braising liquid (3 – 4 tablespoons) Season to taste and add the raisins.

Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Harissa and Chickpea Salad

This is one of our new favourites, if the weather is hot; this is perfect for the barbeque

Serves 8

1 butterflied leg of lamb (1.5kg/3lb 5oz approximately)

100g (3 1/2oz) harissa (see Fool Proof Food)

zest and freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons

Chickpea Salad

700g (1 1/2lb) dried chickpeas

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4onions, sliced

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

Dressing

175ml (6fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

50ml (2fl oz) freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 clove of garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

salt and freshly ground pepper

To Serve

3 tablespoons coriander, chopped

3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

150mls (5 1/2fl oz/scant) natural yoghurt

Barbeque or preheated oven to 180°C/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.

Night Before

Mix the harissa with the zest and freshly squeezed juice of the lemon. Place the lamb in a large bowl. Pierce some holes in the lamb with the tip of a sharp knife – this will allow the marinade to penetrate into the meat. Pour the marinade over the lamb and rub in well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Cover the dried chickpeas in plenty of cold water. Allow to soak overnight.

Next Day

Drain the chickpeas, put into a saucepan. Cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Heat the oil in a saucepan; sweat the onion and garlic until soft. Then allow to become golden and caramelised.

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together in a bowl.

Remove the meat from the marinade, place on the barbecue near the coals to seal in the juices on each side. Raise the grill and cook for 20 minutes on each side, occasionally basting with the remaining marinade. Alternatively put on a roasting tray and roast in a moderate oven for 1 – 1 1/2 hours depending on how well you like it cooked.

When the chickpeas are cooked, drain and toss immediately with the caramelised onions, garlic and dressing. Allow to come to room temperature.

When the lamb is cooked, remove from the grill and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Toss the freshly chopped herbs through the chickpea salad. Slice the meat thinly; serve with chickpea salad and a blob of yoghurt.

Darina’s Birthday Cake

Duck eggs are renowned for making a lighter, yellower sponge cake than hen’s eggs, and are, as such, much sought after. This sponge is interesting because the whites, rather than the yolks, are beaten with the sugar, which is opposite to the way most whisked-up sponges are made.

Serves 8

3 duck eggs

75g (3oz) caster sugar

75g (3oz) and an extra dessertspoon flour

2 x 18cm (7 inch) round cake tins

Filling

 

4 ozs (225g) home-made strawberry jam

10 fl ozs (285g) whipped cream

 

Decoration

A selection of Summer berries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, redcurrants, blackberries…

4 fl oz whipped cream

icing sugar to dust

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

Line the base of the tins with a round of silicone paper. Brush the base and sides with melted butter and dust with white flour.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Put the whites and sugar into a bowl and whisk until stiff, preferably in an electric mixer. Whisk in the yolks one by one and then fold in the sieved flour, making sure not to deflate the mixture. Divide the mixture between 2 prepared tins.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes. Turn out carefully and cool on a wire rack. Sandwich together with a layer of homemade strawberry jam, a layer of freshly whipped cream. Sprinkle with sieved icing sugar over the top. Serve on an old fashioned plate with a doyley. Pipe rosettes of the remaining cream and arrange the berries on top.

Fool Proof Food

Harissa

Makes 100g (3 1/2oz)

10 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes

5 fresh red chillies

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Deseed and roughly chop the dried and fresh chillies. Put in a food processor with the garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and olive oil. Whizz until smooth.

Store in a jar with a layer of olive oil over the top. It will keep for 3 months.

Thrifty Tip

If you have left over potatoes from a meal, peel and cube them while they are still warm, toss them in French dressing, add chopped scallions, parsley and a few dollops of mayonnaise for a delish potato salad.

 

Hottips

The Merrion Hotel

. If you feel like a little treat to cheer yourself up the Merrion Hotel in Dublin has some attractive offers at present. Telephone 01 603 0600 to enquire about The Merrion Gourmet Experience or visit their website http://www.merrionhotel.com/index.php Good Food Ireland

launched their exciting new website on 29th July 2009. One can now book good food holidays directly.

Visit www.goodfoodireland.ie/index.cfm/section/special to avail of all the latest special offers.

The award winning Lemon Tree Café

in Dunmore East is worth knowing about for their fresh ‘catch of the day’. We loved their open crab sandwich on their homemade brown bread and the freshly baked cakes and chocolate chip brownies. www.lemontreecatering.ie or telephone 051 383164.

Thomasina Miers

In January 2002 a tall gangly irrepressible girl with thick dark curly hair and a wonderful gappy smile arrived at Ballymaloe Cookery School in a cute little Renault Deux CV. Thomasina Miers spent 12 weeks having fun, cooking, and developing her passion for food. Always eager to learn she soaked up every scrap of information like a sponge. After the course she headed towards West Cork to meet artisan producers and spent a happy time immersed in the cheese making with the Ferguson family at Gubeen near Schull.

Back in London Tommi wrote her first cookbook ‘Little Book of Soup’ a charming collection of recipes from top chefs and even though she was skint, the proceeds were donated to London Soup kitchens.

Her passion for all things Mexican had ebbed and flowed over the years but with the help and encouragement of the Mexican Tourist Board she set off on a research trip to source authentic Mexican ingredients and recipes. She headed for Oaxaca (pronounced Wa ha ca), a region surrounded by the Sierra Madre mountains, south of Mexico city and home to some of Mexico’s most colourful markets. She linked in with Pablo Munozeledo of the Slow Food organisation which seeks to protect traditional and sustainable methods of food production. Through him she found many treasures and met many inspirational people.

Eventually when she returned to London she was at a crossroads, not quite sure where to go next, looking out for a job, lots of bills to pay. Friends told her about Master Chef and she applied for the fun of it. “I didn’t even think I’d get past the first round. And when the program started it came as a complete shock, because I had not thought about being in front of the camera. That was the most terrifying thing realising there were cameras pointing in all directions while I was cooking” She was nervous about the prospect of John Torode and Gregg Wallace tasting and judging her food but eventually after many gruelling challenges – her instinctive and distinctive cooking and enchanting personality not to speak of true grit triumphed and she was declared overall winner of Masterchef. That was in 2005. Since then Tommi has gone on to fulfil her dream of bringing authentic Mexican street food to London.

Her first restaurant Wahaca was opened in 2007 in Covent Garden, Chandos Place. People queued up and still queue along the street. Now there are two restaurants, the second in Westfield, London and a third is planned for Canary Wharf, in October this year.

Wahaca won the Observer Best Cheap Eats Award 2008.

Last week lovely Thomasina came back to Ballymaloe Cookery School, her old Alma Mater to teach and enchanted us all with a Taste of her Mexican Street Food one day course. Here are some of the delicious dishes she cooked for us. She’ll be returning the cookery school next year to teach another course so watch this space.

Thomasina Miers’ Tortilla Soup with feta, totopos and deep-fried ancho

Serves 8

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, sliced

3 cloves sliced garlic

30g chipotle puree

2 tins plum tomatoes

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh

1 litres water or veg stock

150-200g corn tortillas, blanched in oil

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions and sweat over a medium heat for 15 minutes, before adding the garlic. Continue cooking for a further few minutes before adding the chipotle puree, tomatoes and seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes and add the stock and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add the blanched tortillas and blitz in a food processor until the soup is smooth.

Serve the soup in a jug with the garnishes in little piles in a wide, shallow soup bowl.

To serve

Feta cheese, crumbled

Ancho chilli, deep fried

Tortilla strips, deep fried

Coriander

Sour cream

 

Thomasina Miers’ Chorizo, potato and thyme quesadillas [kay-sa-dee-yas]

Enough for 4 large quesadillas

200g cooking chorizo, diced

½ onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

350g potatoes, diced and steamed until tender

A small bunch of thyme, shredded

Olive oil

400g mix of grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese

4 large flour tortillas

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add the chorizo and onion with a small dash of olive oil. Cook until the onion turns soft and translucent and the chorizo has started to release its oils. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the potato, turn up the heat and fry for another 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Spread the chorizo mix on one half of the tortilla and sprinkle with the cheese mix.

Fold the tortilla over so that you have a half moon. Brush it with a little olive oil (so the tortilla doesn’t stick to the pan) and place in hot, dry frying pan or griddle and cook until the cheese is melted and the outside is golden and crisp.

Cut into wedges and serve with your favourite table salsa.

Tommi finds that a mix of extra mature English cheddar and a little grated mozzarella makes the perfect cheese mix, with the right flavour and gooiness but it is also delicious with a little grated Lancashire cheese added to the mix.

 

Other fillings for quesadillas you could try:

Courgette flower, onions and garlic

Swiss chard and ricotta

Spinach, sautéed mushrooms, onion and thyme

Courgette, sweet corn and mint

 

Thomasina Miers’ Barbacoa with Mutton, Lamb or Beef

Serves 8

 

This produces a rich, meaty, fully flavoured lamb that melts in your mouth and is served with potatoes cooked in the lamb broth and a really light salad of finely shredded white cabbage, radish, coriander, red onion.

Feeds 8

1.2 kg of shoulder of lamb

450g tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/2 bottle of medium bodied red wine

To Serve

3/4 medium white cabbage, finely shredded

a bunch of radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 red onions, finely chopped plus 1 red onion

a handful of chopped coriander

2 limes, quartered

8 large floury potatoes

A wooden plate to serve the wedges of lime, radish and chopped red onion

For the marinade

 

4 ancho chillies

200ml best quality cider vinegar (or white wine)

8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 cinnamon stick, broken up

2/3 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp peppercorns

1 tsp dried oregano

40g dark cooking chocolate

Sea salt

The day before (am or pm)

Tear out the stems of the ancho chillies and put them in a small saucepan, covered with cold water. Bring them to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Blitz the spices, herbs and chocolate together in a blender and either add the chillies, and their water and 400ml of olive oil. Season well with salt and then turn it out into a plastic bag (check there are no holes) with the meat inside. Rub the marinade into the meat and store overnight in the fridge.

On the day fill large pans with the wine and the tomatoes. Place the shoulders in pans and cover it with a tight-fitting lid (I like to cover the pan with cling film, pierce a small hole in it and then put the lid on). Bring to simmering point and cook over a low, gentle heat (so that the liquid is barely breaking a bubble) for 3-4 hours until the meat is completely tender. Half an hour before serving add the potatoes and cook in the broth.

This can be done the day before. Keep the lamb apart from the broth at the bottom. Half an hour before you are ready to eat you can roast the lamb in a hot oven (200°C/400ºF/Gas Mark 6) for 25 minutes. Meanwhile whiz the broth in the blender and bring it up to heat again. Serve with the potatoes.

For the Salsa

This salsa is searingly hot, but totally delicious. It plays a beautiful counter point to the meatiness or the rich beef birria. Pass it around to people so they can drizzle it on their own plates, according to their bravery!

40g small, chilli de arbol

250ml cider vinegar (or a mix of white wine and rice vinegar)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon pepper corns

Sea salt

Simmer the chillies in 100ml of water for 5 minutes and then whizz up with all the other ingredients. Serve (in moderation!), with the barbacoa.

 

Tostadas

Thomasina Miers’ Ceviche tostada with coconut, coriander, chilli and lime juice

Serves 4

225g sea bass, skinned and diced into 1cm cubes

The juice of 5-6 limes

1-2 tbsp coconut milk

1tbsp olive oil

Pinch of salt

½ red onion, finely diced

4 plum tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and diced into 1cm cubes

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 habanero chilli, de-seeded finely sliced

4-5 radishes, finely sliced

1-2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped

½ avocado, sliced

Maldon salt and black pepper

12 soft corn tortillas

Corn oil for cooking

 

Place the fish in a glass bowl, adding the lime juice and coconut milk. Cover and refrigerate. You can eat it right away if you like the fish raw or let it cook for an hour or two and for more well done.

Drain the fish of most of the liquid. Add the onion, garlic, chilli, tomatoes, radishes and coriander. Gently mix together and season with salt and pepper. If using bought tortillas cut them down to a smaller size, about 8cm wide. Heat the corn oil in a frying pan and fry the tortillas until golden and crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

Put a tablespoon full of Ceviche on each tostada and a slice of avocado and sprinkle with a little extra coriander.

Thomasina Miers’ Smoked Mackerel Tostadas

330g smoked mackerel fillet

660g fresh tomato salsa

To serve

Chipotle mayonnaise (see Fool Proof Food)

1 avocado sliced

Tostadas

Flake the smoked mackerel with a fork and mix into the fresh tomato salsa. Spread a little chipotle mayonnaise onto each tostada and topped with shredded lettuce. Spoon over the smoked mackerel salsa and top with a slice of avocado.

For the tomato salsa, mix diced tomatoes, finely diced red onion, coriander, salt, pepper, lime juice, finely diced green chillies and olive oil in a bowl and leave aside for half an hour for the flavours to infuse.

Thomasina Miers’ Fresh Fruit Marinated in Lime and Tequila

 

 

This is a really easy pudding that looks vibrant with all its bright colours. The richness of the fruit and the touch of tequila makes it sophisticated enough to eat for a smart dinner but it’s equally fast enough to throw together for friends on a lazy weekend lunch or even for a decadent brunch!

Feeds 6

1 pineapple, peeled

1 ripe mango, (the Pakistani honey mangoes are delicious)

a large punnet of raspberries

1-2 tbsp unrefined castor sugar

juice of a lime

a few generous splashes of tequila*

a large handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped

Peel the mangoes and cut into rough chunks into a salad bowl. Top the strawberries and cut in half or in thirds if they are very large, adding to the mangoes as you go. Sprinkle over the sugar, the lime juice and the tequila and let sit for at least ten minutes in the fridge or as long as you want before pudding. Bring out before serving to allow to get to room temperature and scatter over the mint leaves.

This looks very pretty served in glass pudding bowls or tumblers.

 

Fool Proof Food

Thomasina Miers’ Chipotle mayonnaise

30g chipotles en adobo

90g Hellman’s mayonnaise

45ml olive oil

1-2 tsp fresh lime juice

1-2 tsp sherry vinegar

Maldon salt and freshly cracked pepper

Whisk all the ingredients up together to emulsify. If the mayonnaise is too thin, whisk in a little more mayonnaise and check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper, if it needs.

 

Hottips

Ice-Cream Sundays

– A 1950s style ice cream parlour – opened on Pier Street in Kinsale in June this year. Owners Clare Atkinson, James Dixon and Kalai Barlow discovered a small but very good artisan producer – Clonakilty Ice Cream (087-9564693) – to supply all their ice cream in this colourful and vibrant little venue. Try the Rhubarb and Custard, Orange Crunch or Honeycomb Crunch or order a thick and creamy milkshake, blended with fresh fruit if you fancy. They also serve an excellent 100% organic, fair trade Italian coffee. Telephone 0863535264 or email kalai19@hotmail.co.uk Cupcakes

are still all the rage – if you’d like to order a box of the most luscious cupcakes you’ve ever tasted, contact Siobhan Grace of Cupcake Cottage on

086 1901566

 

Albert Perrin

of Shea Displays makes cake stands in Perspex to order. We display our cupcakes on a Perspex stand with five tiers, very effective. Visit the website www.sheadisplays.com or email albert@sheadisplays.com Ludovic Lantier,

pastry sous chef at The Ritz Carlton, Powerscourt, is the winner of the first Valrhona Patisserie Championship 2009 organised by Valrhona Chocolates and Odaios Foods. His recipe Degustation of Alpaco & Tainori with Redcurrant was chosen out the six finalists on 23^{rd June.}

The Farmers Market movement is coming of age – it’s now over twelve years since Myrtle Allen and I first set up our stalls in the Coal Quay side by side with fish smoker Frank Hederman, vegetable grower Caroline Robinson, Klaus and Hannah Balz with their beautiful bunches of fresh flowers and a couple of other brave souls. The bone-fide Coal Quay Traders were very amused by the motley crew but in a not insignificant way history was being made. There was a tentative rebirth of the market system which enables a growing number of farmers and producers of food to sell directly to those who wish to buy fresh local food. There are now over 140 farmers Markets in Ireland and they continue to grow. Unquestionably, some are more vibrant than others but all confirm that the Farmers Markets are holding up very well in these challenging times as customers discover the value for money and enjoy the overall shopping experience.

Midleton, whose award winning Farmers Market has been operating since 2000, is the first town in Ireland to have two weekly Farmers Markets. The Original Midleton Farmers Market is in the Fair Green from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. Over the years it has built up a loyal following and continues to gain new fans. Local Mayor Ted Murphy has a stall and has supported the market from the onset. It has a terrific mix of stalls from local farmers and artisan producers. The most recent addition to the market are Martin and Noreen Conroy who rear their own traditional breed of pigs then produce their own cured pork products – great rashers, sausages, crubeens. You can order caul fat and lard for special terrines and pastries. Sabrina Pavani sells homemade pasta, plump ravioli and several tempting sauces and Caitriona Simms range of cakes increases weekly. Midleton Farmers Market has been over subscribed for sometime now.

In this challenging climate a growing number of people are anxious to find a direct route to market. Rupert Hugh-Jones who manages the Mahon Point Farmers Market on Thursday mornings was also inundated with requests for stalls. Some time ago he was approached by the owners of the Midleton Retail Park to set up a market in the forecourt of 4Home Superstores. And so the Tuesday Market was launched on 26th May this year providing yet another opportunity for local people to celebrate the exceptionally high quality of food in the East Cork area. Ninety percent of the produce in the Tuesday Farmers Market comes from within a 20 mile radius of Midleton.
Several stalwarts like local farmer Dan Ahern and Arbutus Breads trade in both markets. Organic chicken, duck and organic beef is available as is Arun Kapil’s range of fresh spices and Indian curries. Soft and hard goats cheese from Ardsallagh and Ballymacoda. Newcomers also include Ballycotton Fish, a variety of organic and chemical free vegetables, Supersprouts from Kilbrittain…Several stalls selling home made cakes, Cornish pasties, tarts and quiches. Jams, preserves, local honey… The word is already spreading about Gar Granvilles steak sandwiches make from local butcher Frank Murphy’s well hung beef and Kelly Cope’s cupcakes. Both markets have live music and attract extra customers into the town of Midleton and enhance the business of the entire area. So grab your shopping basket and head for the Farmers Market in your area and fill it with beautiful fresh summer produce and then have fun cooking a delicious meal for family and friends.

Marsh Samphire with Melted Butter

8oz (225g) Marsh Samphire or Sea Asparagus
1-2ozs (25-50g) butter

Wash the marsh samphire well. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, throw in the samphire, and return to the boil for 3 or 4 minutes, drain. Toss in a little melted butter. Keep warm.

New Potatoes with Aioli

Serves 4-5

2 lbs (900g) new potatoes e.g., Home Guard, British Queens
2 pints (1.2 litres) water
1 teaspoon salt
a sprig of mint

Bring the water to the boil.  Scrub the potatoes.  Add salt and a sprig of mint to the water, and then add the potatoes.  Cover the saucepan, bring back to the boil and cook for 15-25 minutes depending on size.

Drain and serve immediately in a hot serving dish.

Note
It’s vitally important for flavour to add salt to the water when cooking potatoes.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is what we call a ‘mother sauce’ in culinary jargon. In fact it is the ‘mother’ of all the cold emulsion sauces, so once you can make a Mayonnaise you can make any of the daughter sauces by just adding some extra ingredients.

I know it is very tempting to reach for the jar of ‘well known brand’ but most people don’t seem to be aware that Mayonnaise can be made even with a hand whisk, in under five minutes, and if you use a food processor the technique is still the same but it is made in just a couple of minutes. The great secret is to have all your ingredients at room temperature and to drip the oil very slowly into the egg yolks at the beginning. The quality of your Mayonnaise will depend totally on the quality of your egg yolks, oil and vinegar and it’s perfectly possible to make a bland Mayonnaise if you use poor quality ingredients.

2 egg yolks, preferably free range
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of English mustard or 1/4 teaspoon French mustard
1 dessertspoon White wine vinegar
8 fl ozs (250ml) oil (sunflower, arachide or olive oil or a mixture) – We use 6 fl ozs (175ml) arachide oil and 2 fl ozs (50ml) olive oil, alternatively use 7/1

Serve with cold cooked meats, fowl, fish, eggs and vegetables.

Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the mustard, salt and the white wine vinegar (keep the whites to make meringues). Put the oil into a measure. Take a whisk in one hand and the oil in the other and drip the oil onto the egg yolks, drop by drop whisking at the same time. Within a minute you will notice that the mixture is beginning to thicken. When this happens you can add the oil a little faster, but don’t get too cheeky or it will suddenly curdle because the egg yolks can only absorb the oil at a certain pace. Taste and add a little more seasoning and vinegar if necessary.
If the Mayonnaise curdles it will suddenly become quite thin, and if left sitting the oil will start to float to the top of the sauce. If this happens you can quite easily rectify the situation by putting another egg yolk or 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water into a clean bowl, then whisk in the curdled Mayonnaise, a half teaspoon at a time until it emulsifies again.

Garlic Mayonnaise

ingredients as above
1-4 clove of garlic, depending on size
2 teaspoons chopped parsley

Crush the garlic and add to the egg yolks just as you start to make the Mayonnaise. Finally add the chopped parsley and taste for seasoning.

Note: Here is a tip for crushing garlic. Put the whole clove of garlic on a board, preferably one that is reserved for garlic and onions. Tap the clove with a flat blade of a chopping knife, to break the skin. Remove the skin and discard. Then sprinkle a few grains of salt onto the clove. Again using the flat blade of the knife, keep pressing the tip of the knife down onto the garlic to form a paste. The salt provides friction and ensures the clove won’t shoot off the board!
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil, Olive Oil and Irish Honey

The Ballymaloe Cookery School stall has a unique selection of heirloom tomatoes of all shapes and sizes.  Red, yellow, black, striped, round, pear shaped, oval.  They make a divine tomato salad with fresh buffalo mozzarella and lots of fresh basil.

Serves 4

8 very ripe heirloom tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 dessertspoon pure Irish honey
3 tablespoons Mani extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves

Cut the tomatoes into ¼ inch (5mm) thick slices, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix the oil and honey together and add ‘torn’ basil leaves, pour over the tomatoes and toss gently.  Taste, correct seasoning if necessary.  A little freshly squeezed lemon juice enhances the flavour in a very delicious way.

Californian Three-Stone Pie

A gorgeous Summer pie.

This pastry is made by the creaming method so people who are convinced that they suffer from ‘hot hands’ don’t have to worry about rubbing in the butter.

Serves 8-12

Break all the rules pastry

350g (12oz) butter
75g (3oz) castor sugar
3 eggs, preferably free-range and organic
500g (18oz) white flour, preferably unbleached

Filling
1kg (21/4lb) organic apricots, peaches and nectarines, mixed (about 4 peaches, 4 nectarines and 12 apricots) about 350g (12oz) of each
225g (8oz) sugar
3 tablespoons flour or cornflour

caster sugar for sprinkling

To Serve
softly whipped cream or crème fraîche

tin, 25.5cm (10inches) x 30.5cm (12inches) x 1cm (1/2 inch) deep

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

First make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar together by hand or in a food mixer (no need to over cream). Add the eggs and beat for a minute or two. Reduce speed to lowest setting and mix in the flour. Turn out onto a piece of floured greaseproof paper, flatten into a round, wrap and chill. This pastry needs to be chilled for at least 1 hour otherwise it is difficult to handle.

To make the tart.

Stone and slice the fruit into a bowl, sprinkle with sugar and flour and toss well.
Roll out the pastry 1/8inch (3mm) thick approx., and use about 2/3 of it to line a suitable tin. Fill the sugared fruit into the tart. Cover with a lid of pastry, seal edges, decorate with peach shapes and pastry leaves. Egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the fruit is tender and juicy, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Sprinkle lightly with castor sugar and serve with softly whipped cream or crème fraîche.

Summer Fruit Salad with Sweet Geranium Leaves

Sweet geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens) and many other varieties of scented geraniums are every present on our windowsills here at Ballymaloe.  We use the delicious lemon scented leaves in all sorts of ways, occasionally we use the pretty purple flowers also to enliven and add magic to otherwise simple dishes.  The crystallized leaves, all frosty and crinkly are wonderful with fresh cream cheese and fat juicy blackberries.

I discovered this recipe which has now become a perennial favourite quite by accident a few Summers ago as I raced to make a pudding in a hurry with the ingredients I had at that moment.

Serves 8-10

4 oz (110g) raspberries
4 oz (110g) loganberries
4 oz (110g) red currants
4 oz (110g) black currants
4 oz (110g) small Strawberries
4 oz (110g) blueberries
4 oz (110g) fraises du bois or wild strawberries
4 oz (110g) blackberries

Syrup

14 oz (400g) sugar
16 fl oz (450ml) water
6-8 large sweet geranium leaves

Put all the freshly picked berries into a white china or glass bowl.  Put the sugar, water and sweet geranium leaves into a stainless steel saucepan and bring slowly to
the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.  Boil for just 2 minutes.   Cool for 4-5 minutes then pour the hot syrup over the fruit and allow to macerate for several hours.  Remove the geranium leaves.  Serve chilled, with softly-whipped cream or Vanilla Ice-cream or alone.  Garnish with a few fresh sweet geranium leaves.

Summer Berry Jelly with Sweet Geranium Leaves

Sometimes when we have a berry salad left over, particularly if there is more juice than fruit we make it into a jelly.  Use 4 teaspoons of gelatine to each 600ml (1 pint) of liquid.  You’ll need 1.2 litres (2 pints) for a large ring mould.  Turn it out carefully onto a large white china plate when it is set, fill the centre with softly whipped cream and decorate with geranium leaves.

HotTips

Farm to Fork Discovery Day – West Cork is the first in a series of guided days, where you visit and observe how some of the leading food producers create their award winning artisan food products. Providing a unique insight into the craft and skills of the people who make the products we enjoy. Learn first hand about what makes artisan food standout from mass produced foods.
There are two dates Thursday 13th August and Thursday 27th August from 9:00am to 7:00pm. The mini bus leaves from Bandon and takes the route to Drimoleague, Enniskeane, Ballineen, Timoleague and includes visits to Urru Culinary Store, Glenilen Farm, Hollies Organic Centre, Fehilly’s River Side Café, Ummera Smokehouse and Poachers Inn. Cost €125.00.  To book telephone 023-8854731 or email ruthhealy@urru.ie

Kids in the Kitchen fun cookery classes for children are scheduled throughout August at Ballymaloe Cookery School. These practical day long classes teach children the basic knife skills of chopping, slicing, peeling, how to make a chunky soup, a great pasta, a delicious main course, yummy vegetables, a couple of great salads and of course a few irresistible puddings, tarts, biscuits, cup cakes and homemade lemonade and even a pot of their very own jam to take home. Classes cost €205.00. For more details and to book phone 021 4646 785 or email susan@cookingisfun.ie

The Organic Centre produces a monthly newsletter ‘Rossinver Thymes’ that contains gardening tips, whole food recipes, news and upcoming courses at the Organic Centre. This brilliant little publication is available to members of the Friends Scheme which you can join online or www.theorganiccentre.com by telephone 071 9854338.  As well as the monthly newsletter Friends enjoy free gardening advice and free entry to the gardens all year round plus a 10% on all purchases bar the café.

Claire Ptak makes wonderful cakes, it all started when she was little girl in Point Reyes, California – every time her Irish grandmother visited they baked cakes together all day long. At Christmas granny would send 15 different types of cookies – bliss. Claire couldn’t wait to open the parcel; all she wanted to do was cook. Once she took all the spices from the kitchen cupboard out to the sandbox to ‘make cakes’!

As soon as she could legally work – at 15 – she got a weekend job at a local bakery. While her pals were bebopping around the local mall she was learning how to make croissants.

This was followed by a three year stint at a cowboy dude ranch in Wyoming. There was a big rambling ranch house kitchen – Margie who ran it was interested in food, she encouraged the youngster’s interests. Claire, always desperate to learn more bought a ‘bunch of books’ and pored over them. At some point she decided that she should have a ‘proper career’ so she studied Film Theory at Mills College in Oakland, but every time she baked a cake everyone asked “why aren’t you baking?” Out of the blue a dream came true – an opportunity came up to be an intern and then work at Chez Panisse, Alice Waters’s iconic restaurant in Berkley, California. Claire said the three year experience in the pastry section changed her life. She honed her palette, was taught how to taste, how to combine flavours and a whole new philosophy about food. All the cooks and chefs at Chez Panisse ate the same beautiful fresh seasonal food as the guests. She added to her baking repertoire, fell in love with a British chap and moved to London. A stint with Sam and Samantha Clarke at Moro, Fergus Henderson’s St John and Anchor & Hope followed. In 2005, she managed to get a stall at the hip and vibrant Broadway Farmers Market in Hackney. Claire couldn’t wait to start her business which she called Violet Cakes, she baked all her favourite cakes and tarts; many were time consuming and too complicated to make. She baked a few little coconut cup cakes too as a filler.  They flew off the stall while the far more elaborate confections failed to sell, an interesting lesson in business. Now she sells about 1,000 cup cakes on her Violet stall on a Saturday mornings.  Nine different flavours, five favourites – chocolate, vanilla, lemon, salted caramel, coconut and three seasonal ones – that changes with the seasons – this week it was elderflower, raspberry and strawberry. All made from beautiful organic ingredients, fine butter and free range eggs. She also makes many Cupcake wedding cakes, provides lots of party pieces and every week Claire does the food styling for the Ottolenghi article in the Guardian. Her latest project is her first book on Boiled Sweets and Choccies. She also writes a food blog. All this because she loves baking…

If you are in London on a Saturday morning look her up at the Broadway Market in Hackney from 10am. claire@violetcakes.com

 

Claire came to the cookery school to teach a class last week for us. Here are some of the delicious things she cooked.

 

Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache

 

There are devil’s food cakes made with butter and ones made with oil. Both are delicious and good used in different ways, but this one is especially good filled and covered with dark chocolate ganache and decorated with cake crumbs and a blob of chocolate. If you have some rose petals, use those for additional decoration.

 

200 g dark chocolate (64-70%)     

250 g butter, softened

200 g sugar

200 g light brown sugar

4 (about 206ml) eggs

225 g milk

25 g lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla                           

300 g self-raising flour

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda     

25 g cocoa powder                        

1 teaspoon salt

 

Dark Chocolate Ganache to fill and cover

A garden rose

Gold leaf (optional)

 

 

1.      Preheat the oven to 150°C, fan. Butter and line a 10”x 3” round cake tin with parchment paper.

2.      Chop up the chocolate and put it into a heat-proof bowl placed over, a pot of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally to aid the melting process.

3.      Cream the butter and sugars until very light and fluffy in a stand mixer.

4.      Add the eggs and beat until emulsified.

5.      Remove the melted chocolate from the pot and wipe any water off the bottom of the bowl. Give it a gentle stir to release a little steam and add it to the butter and egg mixture.

6.      Measure the milk and add the lemon juice to it. It will curdle slightly but that is the intention. If you have fresh buttermilk, you could use that instead.

7.      Add the vanilla to the milk and lemon and set aside.

8.      Sift together the flour, soda, cocoa powder and salt.

9.      Add half of the flour mixture to the butter and chocolate and mix for a couple of minutes until incorporated.

10.  Add the milk mixture and beat until incorporated.

11.  Add the remainder of the flour mixture and mix to make a smooth batter. Pour into the prepared tins and bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

 

Dark Chocolate Ganache

 

For filing and icing a very rich cake.

 

224 ml double cream

200 g golden syrup

1 vanilla bean, split

600 g dark chocolate (66-70%)

100 g unsalted butter, very very soft

 

1.      Stir the cream and golden syrup together in a heavy saucepan and scrape the vanilla seeds into it. Add the pod as well and gently heat. Bring to just below the boil (a foamy layer of milk should just be starting to form) Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and chill. You can chill this overnight for optimum vanilla flavour.

2.      Place your chocolate in a medium stainless steel bowl and set over a barely simmering pot of water on the stovetop. Using a chocolate thermometer, heat to just below 115°F.

3.      At this point, re-heat your cream to 115°F as well. When the bowl of chocolate reaches 115°F, remove it from the pot.

4.      Pour the melted chocolate and the heated cream into a vessel such as a liquid measuring jug and using an immersion blender, blend well. Blend until it is thick and creamy. Add the very soft butter, bit by bit.

5.      Stir very gently from time to time until it reaches the desired consistency for spreading on a cake.

 

To ice and decorate:

 

1.      Once the cake has cooled, start by evening off the top with a serrated knife. Reserve the scraps for the decoration.

2.      Now split the cake into three layers with a serrated knife. Set the top and middle layers onto rounds of card or tart tin bottoms, or plates. The bottom layer should go onto the serving plate you intend to use.

3.      If the trimmings are still very soft, you can pop them into the oven for about 10 minutes to dry them out. Then place them in your food processor and pulse to a fine crumb. Set aside.

4.      Spread a thinnish layer of about a ½ centimeter of ganache over the bottom layer of the cake. Place the center layer over that and agin spread with ganache. Place the top layer on and then use your hands to evenly shape the cake into a symmetrical and even stack of layers.

5.      Take a generous scoop of ganache and pile it on top of the cake. Spread it out over the top and leave a little hanging over the sides.

6.      Now using a palette knife or offset spatula, cover the sides with heaps of ganache trying to avoid pulling any crumbs up into the ganache.

7.      Smooth the sides, removing any excess ganache. Smooth the top once again and make a nice swirl. Reserve a little ganache for the decoration.

8.      Sprinkle the top and sides with the cake crumbs and finish with a dollop of remaining ganache. If you have gold leaf, it makes a very elegant finish on the top of the blob of ganache. If you don’t, sprinkle with a rose petal or two. Keep in the fridge in an airtight container but be sure to bring it out of the fridge about an hour before serving or the butter in the ganache and the cake will be too hard.

 

Tip: If you think you might make a mess, a good trick is to slip pieces of parchment paper under the cake around the edge. Then after you cover it in the ganache, you can remove the paper and have a nicely clean serving dish.

 

Claire Ptak’s Mexican Wedding Cookies

 

225g soft butter

70g caster sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

310g plain flour

1 tablespoon brandy

100g pecans, roughly chopped

icing sugar (about 500 g)

 

1.      Cream together the butter, sugar, and salt.

2.      Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together, but no longer.

3.      Add the brandy and the chopped pecans

4.      Scoop into little balls and arrange on a cookie sheet. If you have a mini ice cream or truffle scoop this works very well. Alternatively you can use a teaspoon and roll the dough into little balls between your palms. You are going to freeze them before baking so you can cram them together on the sheet to put in the deep freeze and separate them later for baking.

5.      Bake at 170°C for about 20 minutes. They should be set but have barely any colour. They should just scoot if nudged with a finger.

6.      Toss in icing sugar while warm. This layer will melt a little. Let cool completely. Then sift with a LOT of sugar. You can sift out the biscuit bits from the first toss in sugar and use that to coat them the second time.

7.      Store in an airtight container in the fridge. They are delicious served cold with coffee or ice cream.

 

 

Claire Ptak’s Salted Caramel Cupcakes

 

125 g butter, very soft

200 g caster sugar

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

280 g self-raising flour

1 tablespoon lemon zest

80 ml lemon juice

80 ml milk

 

1.      Heat the oven to 160°C, fan.

2.      Cream the very soft butter and sugar until almost white and fluffy.

3.      Add the eggs and salt and mix until fully incorporated.

4.      Add half the flour until just combined.

5.      Add the zest, juice and milk and mix until combined.

6.      Add the remaining flour.

7.      Scoop into paper baking cup-lined cupcake tins.

8.      Bake for about 20 minutes.

9.      Remove from the tin and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the icing.

 

Salted Caramel Icing

 

The caramel:

 

115 ml double cream

½ vanilla pod, split down the side and scraped

60 g golden syrup

100 g caster or granulated sugar

15 g unsalted butter

½ teaspoon fluer de sel or other sea salt such as Maldon

 

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the cream. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add them along with the pod, to the cream. Bring the cream and vanilla to just under a boil. Try not to scorch the cream. When it is ready, it will start to exude wisps of steam and have a thin layer of frothy foam beginning to form at the edges of the pan.
2. While the cream is heating, boil the golden syrup and sugar in another heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches about 290-300°F/140°C
3. Add the butter and salt, and strain the cream mixture into the sugar mixture. Stir to combine.

 

For the icing:

                                                                                                                           

50g butter

200g icing sugar

25 ml caramel (reserve the rest for something else. It freezes very well)                 

1 tablespoon milk                                                                                

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract                                 

pinch of Maldon salt                                         

 

1.      Cream the butter on a low speed with some sugar and gradually add the caramel, milk, vanilla and sea salt.

2.      Add the remaining icing sugar. The speed must be kept slow as to not incorporate too much air into the buttercream.

3.      Once all of the ingredients are added, beat the mixture for about 2 minutes, to get to the proper texture and to allow the sugar to dissolve. At this point you can add more sugar if appropriate. This varies with the air temperature and the darkness of the caramel.

 

Claire Ptak’s Chocolate Wafer Cookies

 

These are like Oreo cookies

 

Makes 6 logs – this is for a big quantity – you can scale it down yourself if you like

– icing quantities would need to be adjusted also.

 

Ingredients

 

12ozs (350g) butter

1lb 2ozs (500g) caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 free-range organic eggs

5ozs (150g) cocoa powder

13ozs (375g) plain flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Vanilla Icing

 

2 1/2 fl ozs (65ml) milk

4ozs (110g) unsalted butter

1lbs 1ozs (475g) icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 scraped vanilla bean

 

Violet Icing

 

7fl ozs (200ml) milk

13ozs (375g) unsalted butter

1.5kg – 2kg (3lbs 5ozs – 4 1/2lbs) icing sugar

6 teaspoons violet essence

 

Espresso Icing

 

3 3/4 fl ozs (112ml) cold coffee

1 1/4 fl ozs (38ml) milk

10ozs (280g) butter

1.5kg (3lbs 5ozs) icing sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Armagnac brandy

2 1/4 teaspoons fresh coffee grounds

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

First make the logs.

Cream together the butter and the sugar together very well.  Add the vanilla extract and eggs.  Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt.  Roll into logs and freeze.

 

Slice the log into 1/2cm (1/4 inch) thick and bake at 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 for 8-10 minutes – let cool on parchment paper.

 

For the icing.

Cream the butter and half the icing sugar.  Add the liquid.  Then cream in the rest of the icing sugar on a low speed – about 3 minutes until creamy.

 

Pipe a blob of icing in the centre of one biscuit, then press another on top so you can just see the icing coming through.

 

Hazelnut Praline Truffles

 

150 g hazelnuts

50 ml cold water

200 g sugar

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

225 g double cream

50 g unsalted butter

425 g dark chocolate, finely chopped and placed in a large bowl

cocoa powder for dusting

 

 

1.      Butter and line a 20 cm baking tin with cling film. The butter is to help hold the cling film in place. Set aside

2.      Toast the hazelnuts on a parchment lined baking sheet.

3.      Place the water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover with the sugar. Add the cream of tartar and heat gently to dissolve. Stirring occasionally is ok. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. Make a caramel. It can be as light or as dark as you like.

4.      When you have reached the desired colour for your caramel, pour it over the toasted hazelnuts and let it set. Once it has set, break into pieces and then blitz to a fine powder in a food processor.

5.      Warm the cream, but do not let it come to the boil. Pour it over the chocolate and whisk gently until smooth and melted. Fold in the praline. Pour into your prepared tin.

6.      Chill the mixture in the fridge until set. This will take about an hour.

7.      When set, turn the chocolate block out onto a marble or other cold hard surface.  Remove the plastic and using a clean knife dipped in hot water (and then wiped dry) slice the block of caramel chocolate into 2 cm squares. Place back in the fridge to chill.

8.      Dip the squares of ganache into cocoa powder

 

 

Fool Proof Food

Claire Ptak’s Candied Flowers

 

A bouquet of fresh, edible flowers such as pansies, violets or garden roses.

 

free-range egg whites

caster sugar

 

Equipment

 

A soft bristled painting brush or pastry brush

 

Dip the brush in the whites and then pat out on a paper towel to get excess white off of the brush. You don’t want to saturate the petals, only get them just damp enough to hold the caster sugar.

 

Sprinkle the petals with a generous amount of castor sugar and leave in a warm place to dry.

 

HotTips

Ponaire Coffee Limerick

Ponaire (Irish for bean) import their own raw coffee beans from around the world and roast, blend and package them in their roastery in Annacotty, Co Limerick. They serve this excellent coffee in their Deli Coffee shop and also supply numerous restaurants listed in Georgina Campbell’s Top 100 Restaurants in Ireland. They have won three Bridgestone Awards for their coffee, a classic artisan product. Jennifer and Thomas Ryan can be contacted on (061) 339801, (087) 9095242) email, info@ponaire.ie www.ponaire.ie

 

 

Stuffed Olive Gourmet Store

in Bantry, Co Cork have a good selection of freshly made salads to eat in, sitting on a high stool by the window or to take away, a delicious, crunchy alternative to a heavy pub lunch. They also serve very good coffee and bake cakes daily. Their shelves are stocked with a very tempting array of locally produced goodies…jams and preserves from Gingergirl www.gingergirl.ie, Seaweed Sausages from Lo Tide (098) 42616, handmade artisan chocolates from Skellig www.skelligschocolates.com and Cocoa Bean Chocolates www.cocoabeanchocolates.com Margie Kelly and Trish Messom opened this little gem of a shop in December 2006 and can be contacted on (027) 55883 or email stuffedolive@gmail.com.SlowFood Bantry Middle Eastern Barbeque

today at Mannings Emporium in Bantry at 2:00pm.Barbeque Festival

in Bantry starts on Friday 31st July to Monday 3rd August. There is a Food Fair and Barbeques on the town square with cookery demonstrations by local chefs on Saturday with the Hot House Flowers performing a free concert later. On Sunday and Monday, sample food from the barbeques outside seven pubs free of charge . Contact Danny Collins 087 2956225 for more information.

 

I’ve been backwards and forwards to London a lot recently to work with my long suffering editor doing the final tweaking on the manuscript of my ‘Forgotten Skills’ book. I’m chained to the desk all day and well into the evening so I don’t get distracted by London’s many temptations. However the deal is we must be allowed to fortify ourselves with lunch or dinner so I’ve had the opportunity to try some of the new (to me) places and in the process found a few gems to add to my London list.

Hereford Road in Notting Hill serves a simply gutsy no-nonsense style of cooking in this small restaurant which was originally a Victorian butchers shop I enjoyed Crispy Rabbit Fillets with Aioli. The young chef Tom Pemberton has a terrific pedigree, I loved his food when he was head chef at Fergus Henderson’s St John Bread and Wine and he’s brought his sure touch, love of offal and seasonal ingredients to Hereford Row. We loved the Deep Fried Rabbit and Aoili, Cured Duck with Pickled Chicory and Buttermilk Pudding with Prunes.

Close to Borough Market was another great find, Magdalen in Tooley Street, they got a whingy review from restaurant critic AA Gill a few weeks ago. They promptly put it up on their website and are now even busier than before. Perhaps this is a consequence of having a bad review from the entertaining but acerbic Mr Gill. Daylesford Shop and Restaurant was lambasted a couple of months ago and despite the recession had the busiest three weeks ever, immediately after publication. They have expanded their facility in  Gloucestershire and now make three cheeses, a big variety of breads and the cookery school will open September under the guidance of chef Vadimir Niza The café serving delicious food is open every day, breakfast is served from 9:30am and dinner is served from 6pm to 9pm outside on the alfresco terrace.

Back to Magdalen, the enthusiastic young team, headed up by James Faulkes, have pooled their collective experience from Le Manor Aux Quat Saisons, The Fat Duck, La Trompette and my favourite gastro pub, Anchor and Hope. The result is beautiful confident cooking where the menu changes every day, incorporating seasonal produce and rare breed meat and fresh fish from the Market close by. I loved the thinly sliced Pigs Head with Pickled Red Cabbage and Fried Potatoes. The puddings were some of the best I’ve had around London and I managed to taste Lemon Pot with Cassis, Elderflower Cream and Strawberries, French Toast with Marmalade and Vanilla Ice Cream – all sublime as was Prune and Armagnac Ice Cream.

It’s also tough to get a table at Bocca di Lupo in Soho but it is well worth booking ahead to taste Jacob Kenedy’s Fried Baby Artichokes and Shaved Radish and Pecorino Salad and if you have to settle for sitting at the counter, look on it as a bonus – you can watch the chefs doing their magic.

My last top tip this time is the new flavour of the month Terroirs Wine Bar and Restaurant in William 1V Street, that’s another spot that got a dressing down from AA Gill. It too was packed to capacity. It has the feel of a French Bistro. The simple menu has many charcuterie choices and great bar snacks, Radish with Butter and Sea Salt, Duck Scratchings, Boquerones. The delicious Taramasalata and Crostini, quite different to the spooky pink stuff often served in Greek restaurants. There’s a whole section of Small Plates on the menu which are incredibly reasonable priced, snails, bacon and parsley £6.00. Broad beans, Pecorino and Peashoots both £6.00. Secretts Farm Salad half the price at £3.00 and lots more. There were four Plats du Jour, the most expensive of which was the Gilt Head Sea Bream, Cockles, Pequillo Pepper and Sea Purslane for £14.00. Again desserts and cheese were good with superb French Rocamadour from the Lot. A wobbly Panna Cotta with Raspberries was especially memorable. All these restaurants were fully booked despite the recessionary doom and gloom – the secret as ever was simple fresh food from superb ingredients, convivial atmosphere. Some like Magdalena, had starched white linen tablecloths, other simple timber tables, all had well chosen wine lists, reasonably priced. Despite the times you’ll need to book ahead, all except the Anchor and Hope take bookings.

 

You’ll be forgiven for thinking I did no work on the book but a girl has to eat to keep up the energy and after all, it’s all in the way of research. A special thank you to all the restaurants who shared these recipes with us.

 

Hereford Road Restaurant 0044 2077271144 www.herefordroad.org/news/

Magdalen Restaurant 0044 2074031342 www.magdalenrestaurant.co.uk   

Daylesford Restaurant 0044 1608731700 www.daylesfordorganic.com/scat/nottinghill

Bocca di Lupo 0044 207734223 www.boccadilupo.com  

Terroirs 00442070360660 www.terroirswinebar.com

 

Magadelen’s – Duck Ham

 

I duck Magret (these are the breasts of a duck that have been bred for foie gras)

 

Spiced salt:

20gms of coarse salt

1 tablespoon of picked thyme

1 bay leaf

6 coriander seeds

6 black peppercorns

1 strip each of lemon and orange peel

 

Blend all the spiced salt ingredients in a food processor for about 1 minute. Lightly rub this mix onto both sides of the duck breast and leave loosely covered in the fridge overnight. The following day wash the salt off quickly under cold water and pat dry. Wrap in muslin and tie, but not too tightly, with kitchen string. Hang on a string in a cool well ventilated area for 12 – 16 days. Test after 12 days by pinching the duck, it should feel firm but supple.

 

We serve this thinly sliced in a salad with confit duck, green beans and walnuts, a thin slice of foie gras and sliced radishes.

 

Daylesford Organic Blackcurrant Sorbet

 

 

50g/1lb blackcurrants

315ml/10 ½ fl oz sugar syrup

125ml/4floz water

1 egg white

A few sprigs of mint

 

Make a sugar syrup by dissolving 350g/ 10 ½oz sugar in a pan with 300ml/ 10fl oz water. Strip the currants from their stalks, wash, drain and dry on kitchen paper. Add to the sugar syrup and water in a non-reactive saucepan and simmer gently, covered, for 5 minutes. When cool, rub through a nylon sieve to remove the pips. Add the mint to the purée, cover and leave to infuse. Remove the mint when you pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and churn for about 10 minutes. Then add the egg white and continue churning until the sorbet is firm enough to serve. Makes about 1 litre.

 

If you don’t have a sorbetier (ice cream maker) just pour the mixture into a plastic box to freeze. Remove from the freezer before it freezes and stir a few times to ensure a nice smooth texture.

 

 

 Daylesford Organic Sea bream with ginger

 

1 whole sea bream (400g/12oz)

3 tbsp light soy sauce

½ tsp white sugar

a handful of shredded ginger

4 shredded spring onions

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Ground black pepper

 

A Thai dish that is pure and simple, with fresh clean flavours. Clean and score the fish, then place it on a plate or cooking foil and cover with the soy sauce, sugar and half the ginger. Steam until just cooked, about 20 minutes, and check underneath that it is done. Then add the rest of the ginger and the spring onions, and steam for another 2 minutes. Carefully remove the plate and the foil from the steamer with tongs, retaining the juices, and serve the fish whole, sprinkled with coriander leaves and black pepper.

 

Terroir’s Panna Cotta

 

(Serves 8)

 

1ltr x double cream

180g x caster sugar

2 x bourbon vanilla pods split

2.5 leaves of bronze leaf gelatine

 

In a large pan, bring the cream, sugar and split vanilla pods slowly to the boil and remove from the heat.

Soak the bronze leaf gelatine leaves in cold water until soft. Then whisk thoroughly into the cream ensuring all the gelatine has dissolved.

Remove the vanilla pods and pour the cream into a metal bowl. In a larger metal bowl, place some ice and water and sit the bowl containing the cream on the ice to cool it down.

The reason is to slightly set the cream before it goes into the moulds, otherwise all the vanilla seeds will sink to the bottom. Using this method gives a nice even distribution of vanilla.

When the cream has thickened and the vanilla seeds are suspended evenly, pour into individual moulds and place in the fridge to finish setting. (This should take 1 to 2 hours) To serve, dip the moulds in hot water and run the tip of a knife around the inside of the mould and turn the panna cotta out onto the plate. Serve with any fruit that is in season – delicious!

 

Terroir’s Taramasolata

 

1 x Whole Smoked Cod’s Roe (around 800-900g) 150g x day old white bread, no crusts milk

3 x cloves of garlic, crushed finely

Juice of 1 Lemon

1litre x Vegetable oil

150ml x Olive oil

Tabasco to finish

Remove the outer skin of the cod’s roe.

Soak the bread in the milk (enough milk just to cover) until soft.

Place the cod’s roe in a food processor with the soaked bread and the crushed garlic.

Process until smooth and then slowly add the vegetable oil in a steady stream as you would if making mayonnaise.

Repeat the process with the olive oil

Add the lemon Juice and finish with the Tabasco (to your own taste)

 

Bocca di Lupos’s Fried Artichokes ‘a la Guidia’

 

(serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a main):

 

4 young artichokes – these should be as large as possible without having any tough choke. You are looking for buds about 6-8cm across, with tightly closed leaves.

Sunflower oil – about 2 litres – at least 5cm depth in a deep pan about 20 cm wide

Salt

 

1)      clean artichokes 1 by 1. This is a little tricky, the aim being to remove any tough parts (which will be grass green), and leave any tender parts. If unsure at any stage, trim off s little and test between your teeth. Start by squeezing 1 lemon into a tub of water. Take one artichoke, break off the stem. Trim or snap off the tough outer green leaves, until you reach the tender ones within (these will have a yellow or pink hue). Use a paring knife to trim off any green bases of leaves to expose the paler heart. Trim off the tips of the remaining leaves, leaving about 3 cm of leaf – they should end up looking like anaemic rosebuds. Keep in the acidulated water whilst you clean the rest.

2)      Drain well – best if you blot the artichokes dry with a cloth. Season with salt and deep-fry slowly in sunflower oil (at 130-140 degrees) for 15 minutes until completely tender but not falling apart. Remove from the oil, and leave to cool.

 

First two steps can be done in advance, the cooked artichokes keeping for a few days in the fridge – they even freeze well once cooked.

 

3)      Reheat artichoke oil until almost smoking (190 degrees)

4)      Open artichokes out into flowers by inserting your thumb in the middle, and gently working the leaves out flat like an open flower. Fry upside-down in the oil (lower them in gently to keep them from turning over) for a few minutes until the leaves turn an autumnal brown

5)      Drain well (the oil may get trapped between the leaves), sprinkle with salt, and eat immediately

 

Bocca di Lupo’s Shaved Radish Salad

 

serves 4 as a starter

 

1 bunch, or about 8 radishes breakfast radishes

½ a black radish (available from Turkish shops), or 5cm green mooli (Chinese greengrocers) or mooli

A chunk of celeriac – about ¼ of a very small bulb – peeled

A little chunk of pecorino Romano – about 50g

A few sprigs flat leaf parsley, leaves picked

¼ pomegranate, picked – or 6 tablespoons picked seeds

1 tablespoon truffle oil

4 tablespoons X V olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

 

Make a dressing with the oils, vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.

 

Do everything else just before you serve – radishes dry out, and celeriac blackens with time. Wash the radishes (red & black), and shave thinly – best on a mandolin. Use a potato peeler to shave the celeriac and pecorino. Toss the lot with the pomegranate seeds and parsley, and dress lightly. Serve in haphazard but tall piles on individual plates, or in a bowl to share from.

 

 

Fool Proof Food

Magdalen’s French toast, Marmalade and Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Serves 4

 

4 slices of brioche.

Marmalade or other preserve

Vanilla ice cream

 

For the custard: 2 whole eggs, 460gms of double cream, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg, 1/2 a vanilla pod, 100gms of castor sugar, a shot of cointreau.

 

Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds into a basin. Add all the other ingredients and whisk thoroughly.

Soak the slices of brioche in the custard for about a minute till sodden. Gently fry each side in butter with a sprinkling of sugar until golden. Remove from pan and spread with a thin layer of marmalade or other preserve with a scoop of ice cream. Serve immediately.

 

We make our own brioche, preserves and ice cream but all are available to buy.

 

Thrifty Tip

 

Poke drainage holes into used yogurt pots or old Tupperware pots to use as growing containers for seeds or cuttings.

 

Hottips

 

SlowFood East Cork Summer Events

How to Butcher a Lamb and What to do with the Various Cuts Learn how to identify different cuts of lamb, how to find and recognise the best quality meat and match cuts to cooking methods at the Ballymaloe Cookery School, Wednesday 15^th July at 7:30pm. Slow Food Members €45.00 and €45.00 non-members.

 

Slow Food East Cork Fun Cookery Class for Children – Saturday 18^th July 9:30am to 2:00pm. During this fun morning kids will make savoury and sweet recipes and enjoy the dishes that they cook for lunch. SlowFood Members €50.00 and €55.00 non SlowFood Members.

Booking is essential, email slowfood@cookingisfun.ie  or phone (021) 4646 785.

 

Schull Agricultural Show and Farmer’s Market The village of Schull hold it’s Agricultural Show again this year on Sunday 26^th July 2009 from 12 noon.

Schull Farmers Market sets up for the day with over 20 stalls of some very well known and delicious West Cork artisan foods for you to sample including Ted Berner and his Wildside Catering. For more details contact The Secretary: 028 28707

 

 

 

We’re at the height of the strawberry season at present, all along the main roads strawberry growers are doing their best to tempt us to indulge. So let’s feast on beautiful ripe berries while they are at their best. Eco Santa is the favourite commercial variety but a few growers are beginning to offer some heritage berries, it’s not easy because many of the older more flavourful varieties produce smaller berries which take longer to pick. Time is money and there is already a serious problem to be resolved to facilitate the employment of fruit pickers who are needed on a casual basis for a short period during the berry seasons, which is also weather dependent.

So let’s support our Irish soft fruit growers, otherwise we’ll have no choice as has happened with so many other products. There are a myriad of delicious ways to serve strawberries.

 

Homemade Strawberry Gelato with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

 

Serves 6-8

2 lbs (900g) very ripe strawberries

freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon

freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 orange

8ozs (225g) castor sugar

300ml (300ml) water

150ml (5floz) whipped cream

 

Dissolve the sugar in the water; boil for 7-10 minutes, leave to cool. Purée the strawberries in a food processor or blender, sieve. Add the freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice to the cold syrup. Stir into the purée, fold in the whipped cream. Freeze immediately preferably in a sorbietere. Store in a covered plastic box in the freezer. Scoop out into balls and serve on chilled plates with sprigs of fresh mint.

 

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

400g (14 ozs) strawberries

50g (2 ozs) icing sugar

lemon juice

 

Garnish

 

 

Fresh mint leaves

 

To make the strawberry sauce, clean and hull the strawberries, add to the blender with sugar and blend. Strain, taste and add lemon juice if necessary. Pour over scoops of strawberry gelato and garnish with some fresh mint leaves.

Strawberry Tiramisu

 

Serves 10-12

150ml (5fl ozs) water

200g (7ozs) unbleached caster sugar

400g (14ozs) strawberries sliced

50ml (2fl ozs) crème de cassis or crème de framboise

4 eggs, separated

250g (9ozs) tub mascarpone cheese

1 x 200g (7ozs) packet boudoir biscuits (sponge biscuits)

50g (2ozs) flaked or slivered almonds

1 x 28cm (11 inch) gratin dish

Make syrup by dissolving half the sugar in the water, then boiling for 2 minutes. Add in the fruit. If using fresh fruit, turn off the heat and leave it to cool. If using frozen fruit, bring the syrup back to the boil and let it simmer very gently for 1-2 minutes, then leave to cool. Add the cassis or frambroise to the syrup.

Beat the egg yolks in a bowl with the remaining sugar until pale and thick. Beat in the mascarpone cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whiles until they form stiff peaks. Fold them lightly into the egg and mascarpone mixture.

Strain the fruit from the syrup. Place the syrup in a wide bowl. Dip half the biscuits in the cooled syrup and use them to line the base of the gratin dish. Spread half the mascarpone mixture over, followed by half of the fruit. Cover the fruit with another layer of the biscuits dipped in the liquid. Spread over the remainder of the fruit, followed by the remaining mascarpone mixture. Cover and chill for a minimum of 6 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the biscuits to absorb the juices and soften.

Meanwhile, toast the almonds by heating a dry frying pan, tossing in the nuts and frying for 2-3 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool. Use to sprinkle over the tiramisu just prior to serving.

Rose Gray’s Almond Tart with Strawberries

Serves 10-12

Rose Gray and Ruth Rodgers of the River Café demonstrated this tart when they were guest chefs here some years ago.

Pastry

6 ozs (170g) flour

4 ozs (110g) unsalted butter

1 oz (25g) castor sugar

2 egg yolks

 

Almond Filling

10 ozs (285g) soft butter unsalted

10 ozs (285g) castor sugar

10 ozs (285g) whole almonds

3 eggs

1 dessertspoon Amaretto or Rum

 

1 lb (450g) fresh strawberries

1 x 12 inch (30.5cm,) tart tin with ‘pop-up base

 

First make the pastry.

 

Put the flour and butter into the food processor. Whizz for a few seconds then add sugar and egg yolks, turn off the machine just as the pastry starts to form a ball. Chill for 2-1 hour.

 

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

 

Line the flan ring and bake blind for 15 minutes. Meanwhile make the almond filling. Blanch the almonds in boiling water, remove the skins and grind in a liquidiser or food processor.

 

Whisk the butter with the sugar until soft and fluffy add the ground almonds, eggs and amaretto if available. Pour into the pastry case and reduce the oven to 160C/325F/regulo 3, and bake for approx. 40 minutes. Allow to cool, cut the strawberries in half or quarters and stud into the tart.

 

Fresh Strawberry Popsicles

Popsicles are the new cupcakes – all the rage, we used to call them ice lollies but these are not make from cordial they are made from pure strawberry puree – a revelation and lots of fun.

 

Makes (18floz) or 6 x 3floz popsicles

 

400g (14ozs) fresh strawberries

55g (2ozs) icing sugar

lemon juice

150ml (5floz) stock syrup

 

Clean and hull the strawberries, add to the liquidiser with sugar and blend. Strain, taste and add lemon juice and stock syrup.

 

Pour into 75ml (3floz) Popsicle moulds and freeze for 3 – 4 hours

Stock Syrup

Makes 28 fl ozs (825 ml)

1 lb (450 g) sugar

1 pint (600 ml) water

To make the stock syrup: Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes then allow it to cool. Store in the fridge until needed and use for homemade lemonade, fruit salads…

American Strawberry Shortcake

Serves 10

10 fresh scones

225g (8ozs) strawberries

2 teaspoons caster sugar

284ml (9 1/2 fl ozs) carton double cream

2 teaspoons icing sugar

Garnish

6-8 whole strawberries

fresh mint or strawberry leaves

icing sugar

First make the scones (recipe Irish Examiner Saturday 14^{th February 2009) While they are baking, prepare the strawberries by washing, hulling and cutting into quarters. Toss with the caster sugar and set aside.info@pinkginger.ie or for schedule of cookery classes visit www.pinkginger.ie www.croninspub.com}

Shortly before serving, whip the cream with the icing sugar. Split the cooled scones and top the bottom half with a blob of sweetened cream and a few sugared

strawberries. Add the tops sieve a little icing sugar over and decorate with whole or halved strawberries and fresh mint or strawberry leaves.

Strawberry Fool

What could be easier or more delicious, sharpen the strawberries with a few drops of lemon juice if necessary.

1lb (450g) strawberries

55g (2oz) caster Sugar

1 tablespoon lemon Juice

55g (2oz) whipped cream or a mixture of Greek style yogurt

lady finger biscuits

Whiz the strawberries and castor sugar in a food processor or blender. Pour into a bowl, add a few drops of squeezed lemon juice, swirl in whipped cream, taste and tweak if necessary. Pour into deep glasses and serve a few lady fingers with each for dunking.

 

Eton Mess

Serves 8

Meringue x 1

Strawberry coulis (see recipe Fresh Strawberry Sauce)

450g (1lb) strawberries

450ml – 600ml (15floz – 1 pint) whipped cream

First make the coulis (fresh strawberry sauce)

To Assemble

Slice the strawberries lengthwise in 2 or 3 pieces depending on size. Add 110ml (4fl oz) of coulis and toss gently. Break the meringue into uneven chunks roughly 2.5 – 5cm (1-2 inches). Spread the meringue onto a flat dish, add the cream. Fold gently, then spoon over the strawberries – this can be such a mess if you aren’t careful. Spoon into glasses or pudding bowls or pile up on individual plates. Pour a little more strawberry coulis over the top. Enjoy immediately while the meringue is still crisp. Divine!

 

Strawberries and Cherries in Tequila

A delicious combination with a Mexican twist.

1lb (450g) strawberries

1lb (450g) cherries

55g (2oz) caster sugar or more to taste

2 fl oz Tequila

1 organic orange and juice

Slice the strawberries lengthwise, cut the cherries in half, and remove the stones sprinkle with sugar, add the rind and juice of one organic orange and a generous glug of Tequila – taste and tweak if necessary.

Fool Proof Food

Rachel Allen’s Strawberry Daiquiri

A really refreshing cocktail to have on a Summer’s evening with friends.

Serves 2-4

150ml (5fl ozs) white rum or vodka

250g (9ozs) strawberries

75ml (3fl ozs) lime juice (approximately 3 limes)

100-125ml (3 1/2 – 4 1/2 flozs) stock syrup (see recipe above) to taste

crushed ice, to serve

Place the run, strawberries (or raspberries), lime juice and 100ml (3 1/2 fl ozs) stock syrup in a blender and whiz until smooth. Taste and add more stock syrup if necessary. Pour into tumblers half-filled with crushed ice.

Thrifty Tip

The price of milk has collapsed on the world market. Why not support your local dairy farmer and buy milk directly from the farm.

 

Hottips

Work up an appetite for Sunday lunch with 4FM’s ‘Davis on 4’

Derek Davis talks to Ireland’s greatest chefs, food writers and bloggers every Sunday morning on Ireland’s newest radio station, 4FM, from 10am-12pm. In the coming months ‘Davis on 4’ will feature budget conscious restaurant reviews, wine discussions and many other food related topics such as recession friendly recipes, vegetable allotments and the best Irish cookery and wine appreciation courses, that will tantalise those taste buds on Sunday mornings.

PinkGinger

Eimer Rainsford holds exclusive but affordable cookery classes for up to eight people at home in her specially designed kitchen in Sandymount, Dublin. Ballymaloe trained, Eimer was Head Chef for the Avoca group for 11 years and contributed to their award winning cookbooks.  Her food is refreshing, as she is bold with flavours and believes that “Food is to be enjoyed and ingredients understood” To book a class contact PinkGinger on (087) 9864964 email

Cronin’s Pub Crosshaven

Sit outside on a sunny day at Cronin’s in Crosshaven, Co Cork and enjoy a big bowl of fresh mussels with herbs, oysters or juicy big crab claws with freshly baked soda bread prepared by chef Denis Cronin and his team. Booking is advisable for dinner in the ‘Mad Fish Restaurant’ Wednesday to Saturday nights. The pan fried turbot with herb butter is really good. (021) 4831829

^ 

A Taste of Greystones

^{All retailers, restaurants and their chefs will be participating in this event to be held on the Church Road on Sunday 23rd August. Taste of Ireland, Euro Toques, Failte Ireland and Georgina Campbell are backing the event. For more information, telephone 01 2016990 or email}

^{backstage@bels.ie}

In my column I certainly give lots of recipe suggestions for meat and fish lovers but I sometimes wonder whether I do justice to vegetarians. So in this weeks column veggies are the heroes and I’ll share some inspiring recipes from a first time cook book author which truly illustrate the versatility of vegetables. You certainly don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these recipes. Doesn’t matter whether you make your choice for ethical, religious or health reasons, I would argue that vegetables are by far the most important food group and you certainly don’t have to sacrifice your taste buds.

Seasonality and freshness are everything. For years now I’ve been encouraging people to grow something, anything, and themselves even if it’s only a few herbs or salad leaves. The flavour and convenience will be enough to infect you with the ‘grow your own’ bug and soon you’ll be swapping with friends and expanding your range.

Maria Elia is a new name to me but by all accounts is well known to others. Her passion for food started when she was little, she’d dash into her Greek Cypriot father’s kitchen after school hoping to be allowed to cook. As soon as she could she put her pack on her back and headed for Italy, America, Spain, and Australia, all these international influences are reflected in her cooking style. She was much acclaimed while she was head chef at Delfina’s in London and was voted one of the top 10 female chefs by the Independent. At present she’s making waves at the newly opened White Chapel Gallery Dining Room in London. Her first cookbook rather boringly named ‘The Modern Vegetarian’ is one of the most accessible and inspirational books of vegetarian food I’ve yet to come across. As I flicked through the pages I wanted to try almost everything I saw. How about these…

Maria Elia’s Chilled Tomato, Peach and Ginger Soup

The combination of tomato and peach is delicious. Jazzed up with warming ginger and a hint of red chilli it makes the perfect summer soup, and is one of my favourites. Serve it with some Thai basil (Italian works too), a little diced tomato and peach and a drizzle of olive oil, and you’re sure to impress!

serves 4

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

2 large shallots (or 8 small), peeled, halved

lengthways and finely sliced

70g fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced

1kg plum vine tomatoes

8 ripe peaches

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 red chilli, split in half lengthways

pinch of white sugar

sea salt and pepper

8 Thai basil leaves, torn

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and ginger and cook over a medium-low heat until ‘caramelised’ (sticky and softened) – this will take about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water (or a kettle) to the boil. Remove the core and lightly criss cross the base of each tomato with a knife. Put them in a large bowl, pour hot water over them and leave for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside. Repeat with the peaches, but leave for about 1 minute or until the skins begin to loosen. Remove and discard skins from peaches and tomatoes and set aside one of each for the garnish. Add the garlic and chilli to the shallots and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Roughly chop the tomatoes, reserving all the juices, and add to the pan. Roughly chop the peaches, discarding the stones and add to the pan. Add the sugar, sea salt and 650ml water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the garnish. Cut the reserved tomato in half, lengthways, then into quarters and remove the seeds (adding to the soup). Cut each tomato ‘petal’ into 1/2-cm dice. Repeat with the reserved peach. Refrigerate until required.

Remove and discard the chilli from the soup. Puree the soup until smooth (add a little water if too thick), season to taste, cool and then refrigerate, covered, until required.

Serve garnished with peach and tomato dice, Thai basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

NOTE: If you are feeling adventurous you could also try garnishing with a little deep-fried ginger. You will need a long piece of ginger (I say long, as this means your fingers will be further away from the blade!), which you peel, then using a very sharp knife or mandolin, slice into wafer-thin pieces. Heat a small pan of vegetable oil until almost smoking and fry the ginger in batches until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. These ginger crisps can also be made in advance and stored in an airtight container.

Maria Elia’s Halloumi, Raita, Endive Salad and Crispy Poppadoms

Add an interesting twist to halloumi with this fruity spice paste. Paneer would also work well or, if you’re a vegan, try using tofu (but make sure it’s well drained). The raita is great served with grilled aubergines, too.

serves 4

For the spiced halloumi

2 x 200g blocks halloumi cheese, each sliced

into 4 pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 poppadoms, cooked

For the spice paste

 

4 tablespoons mango chutney

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

a pinch each of ground turmeric, paprika,

cumin, coriander

half a bunch of chopped coriander

sea salt and black pepper

For the raita

 

6 tablespoons Greek yogurt

6cm cucumber, peeled, deseeded and finely diced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and grated

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated

pinch each of ground cumin and garam masala

juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

sea salt

For the salad

 

2 heads Belgian endive (white chicory),

thinly sliced

1/2 bulb fennel, finely sliced

4 Medjool dates, stoned and julienned (optional)

11/2 tablespoons shredded mint and coriander

a bunch of watercress, picked

For the dressing

 

juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, preferably

Chardonnay

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the halloumi. Cook for 1 minute on either side.

Meanwhile, mix all of the spices for the paste together. Remove the pan from the heat, top the halloumi pieces with the spice mix and place under the grill. Cook for about 3 minutes to heat the halloumi through.

While the halloumi is cooking, mix together all of the ingredients for the raita and season to taste with sea salt. For the salad, mix all of the ingredients together and dress with lemon juice, olive oil and white wine vinegar. Season to taste.

To assemble, place 1 poppadom flat on each plate, top with salad, half the raita and 2 halloumi slices. Break the remaining poppadoms into 3 pieces each and stand upright in the remaining raita.

Dino’s Greek Peas – Maria Elia

Thanks to my dad, Dino, I knew I wanted to be a chef at the age of just four. My parents owned a restaurant in Richmond, and I would eagerly wait for my mum to come and collect me from nursery every day, after which we would run back to the restaurant together and I would get to see my dad. He was always busy cooking and I found it fascinating to watch him. Sometimes, I was given jobs to do, like grating Parmesan through the cylinder grater, or feeding potatoes through the rumbler. I would be in my element!

Here is the recipe for Dino’s peas, best made a day in advance so that the flavours can intensify overnight.

serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons tomato purée

1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

200g peas

a small bunch of dill, finely chopped, or 11/2 tablespoons dried dill

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook over a medium heat until softened. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for a further minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas, 3 tablespoons of water, the dill and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Adjust the seasoning. Serve warm.

Maria Elia’s Spiced Cherry Vine Tomato Sauce

If you like a bit of spice, add a pinch of chilli flakes to the recipe below. Try using this sauce tossed with spaghetti, fresh chillies and coriander for an Asian slant on a spaghetti arrabiata.

makes enough for 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

10 curry leaves

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

450g cherry tomatoes, halved

pinch of sugar

1 tablespoon tomato puree

pinch of sea salt

Heat the olive oil in a wok or frying pan until hot. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves and cook until beginning to pop. Remove from the heat. Add the garlic and ginger, and then cook over a low heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato purée, salt and 2 tablespoons of water and simmer over a low heat for 10–15 minutes until the tomatoes are softened and the sauce has thickened.

Maria Elia’s Coffee Bean Crème Caramel

makes 7 baby ramekins (or 4 large ones)

For the caramel

110g caster sugar

20ml water

2 tablespoons strong coffee

For the custard

225ml double cream

1 tablespoon coffee beans

1/2 vanilla pod, split and beans scraped

1 egg yolk

1 egg

65g caster sugar

To make the caramel, heat the sugar and water over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to the boil without stirring; cook until golden. Remove pan from the heat and carefully pour in the coffee. Stir until smooth and simmer for 2 minutes, then divide evenly between the ramekins.

To make the custard, preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Heat the cream, coffee beans, vanilla pod and beans over a low heat until beginning to boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. (Put the kettle onto boil now for your bain marie.) Whisk the egg yolk, egg and sugar until pale and thick. Strain the cream mixture into the eggs, whisk and pour into the ramekins. Line a small baking tin with a tea towel, place the ramekins on top and pour in boiling water to halfway up the sides. Cook for about 20–30 minutes for small ramekins and 30–40 minutes for bigger ones, until the custard is just set.

Remove the ramekins from the water and leave to cool before refrigerating for 2 hours or overnight. To serve, run a knife around the edge of each ramekin and turn the custard out. Serve with Coffee Tuilles.

Maria Elia’s Coffee Tuilles

Tuilles are usually circular and curved in the centre, involving a rolling pin and lots of work. Here I’ve suggested spreading the mixture out, cooking, then breaking into long shards. I think they look much more dramatic this way and are a lot less fiddly.

Serves 4 – 6

40g unsalted butter

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

40g plain flour

40g icing sugar

1 egg white

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Gently heat the butter until just melted, add the coffee and stir to dissolve. Sift the flour and icing sugar together and with a wooden spoon, beat in the egg white and the butter mixture to form a smooth paste. Chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or overnight before using. Spread the mixture thinly on a non-stick tray or Teflon mat and cook for about 4 – 5 minutes until beginning to brown at the edges. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before breaking into long shards. Keep in an airtight container if not using straight away.

 

Fool Proof Food

Maria Elia’s Rosemary Popcorn

Decadent popcorn, easily made by infusing olive oil with rosemary. Fabulous to serve at a drinks party. To vary the flavour, try adding a little chilli powder to the rosemary popcorn once cooked. Or infuse the oil with sage or finely grated lemon zest instead of rosemary. You could also pop the corn, then drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Popcorn will never be the same again!

serves 4

100ml extra virgin olive oil

3 sprigs of rosemary

150g popping corn

sea salt

Pour the oil into a small saucepan, strip the rosemary leaves off the sprigs and add the leaves to the oil. Warm over a low heat for 10 minutes, and then set aside for 20 minutes or overnight to infuse. Following the directions on the popping corn packet, make the popcorn. When popped and still warm, drizzle with a little rosemary oil, sprinkle with sea salt, toss well to mix and serve.

Thrifty Tip

“Wine boxes, with their lovely embossed logos, are great for growing salad crops in. The best place to source these are from high end wine merchants as the better the wine the better the quality of the boxes” taken from ‘The Thrifty Gardener’ by Alys Fowler, published by Kyle Cathie.  

Hottips

 

Diva Boutique Bakery and Cafe

Diva Boutique Bakery and Café in Ballinspittle near Kinsale serve really good coffee and the owner Shannen Keane freshly bakes her famous brownies daily. The roasted organic chicken with organic rocket pesto served with sweet potato chips is delicious. Shannen believes in supporting local farmers and buys most of her produce locally. Stop in on the way back from Garretstown Beach to try her ice cold strawberry lemonade. Open every day except Tuesday when Shannen sells her wares at the Kinsale Farmers Market. Telephone (021) 4778465.

Ballymaloe Cookery School Gardens and Farm

Find out what’s new on the farm and in the farm shop on Twitter (bcsfarmshop)

Cool and Spicy Summer Menu

Green Saffron has its summer menu out and it’s all about fresh, flavoursome, spicy food. Try their rose petal and lemon rice salad served with mild spiced chicken, organic leaves, jalfrezi crème with fresh lime and coriander. Their mango kulfi (Indian ice cream) is delicious and so is the lemon ginger sherbet cordial, perfect for hot summer days. Ask about their meal deals, dinner for two for a tenner. Find Green Saffron at the Farmers Markets in Kinsale on Tuesdays, Mahon Point every Thursday, and Limerick and Midleton Markets on Saturdays. www.greensaffron.com