At present, driving through the countryside, particularly in the west of Ireland is like meandering through the Garden of Eden.

The roadsides are ablaze with fuchsia, orange montbretia, purple loose strife and willow herb, lots of cream fluffy meadowsweet, knapweed, bright yellow ragwort, wild carrot and swards of wild sorrel and beautiful, lush watercress in the streams.

Wildflower meadows have all but disappeared over the past couple of decades, but wildflowers and grasses are alive and well along roadside verges in many areas.

All around the country, councils have responded to local people’s request to stop spraying glyphosate, (a known carcinogen) and have resisted cutting the verges which enhances biodiversity, except in essential places where visibility is impaired by enthusiastic growth.

Strolling through the lanes, one can’t help noticing that plants are alive with bees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects. Butterflies have been scarce this year but there were several common blue butterflies on the yellow trefoil and lots of cinnabar moths on the ragwort which we were initially told was a weed that would poison cattle. However, the reality is they don’t bother to eat it unless it is accidentally included in silage.

The brambles are laden with fat juicy blackberries so despite the thorns, I couldn’t resist picking several bowls to make a few pots of blackberry and crab apple jam. They take ages to pick so my few jars felt even more special and looked like good deeds on the shelf. I added a few sweet geranium leaves to impart a haunting lemony flavour.

We picked lots of orange and scarlet rowanberries to add to crab apple jelly, all free for the gathering and so, so good.

I fantasised about all the delicious dishes I could make from the hedgerows – pestos, pasta sauces, frittatas…

Where someone else might see weeds, I saw dinner and lots of fun in the kitchen and I picked a big bunch of wildflowers to adorn the kitchen table.

I love to make a foragers salad or a silky foragers soup from a mixture of wild leaves, flowers and herbs like wild thyme.

It’s not just the leaves that are delicious but the flowers too, scatter some knapweed petals, montbretia, fuchsia blossoms, wild rose petals, cornflowers and watercress flowers to embellish your dishes.

There’s masses of fluffy cream meadowsweet blossoms along the roadside too, they’ll last well into September so make the most of their distinct aroma to flavour ice cream, panna cotta, homemade custards, infuse in vinegar, vodka…How about an apple and meadowsweet tart. The wild carrot flowers can be battered and deep-fried.

There will be sloes, damsons and elderberries before too long but that’s for another column.

Meanwhile, have fun with the early autumn bounty and there are lots more recipes and ideas in my cookbooks, Forgotten Skills of Cooking and Grow, Cook, Nourish or email me if you have a specific request and I’ll do my best (www.cookingisfun.ie)

Sorrell and Watercress Soup

Wild watercress has much more flavour than farmed versions, gather some in a flowing stream.  This soup has been a favourite on the menu of Ballymaloe House since it opened in 1963.

Wild sorrel grows all over the place, there are several varieties, common sorrel, buckler leaf sorrel and lambs’ tongue sorrel which prefers acid soil – it’s super good for you!

Serves 6-8

45g butter

150g peeled and chopped potatoes

110g peeled and chopped onion

salt and freshly ground pepper

900ml water or homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock

300ml creamy milk (75ml cream and 225ml milk)

200g chopped watercress (remove the coarse stalks first)

25g wild sorrel

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

Meanwhile prepare the watercress and sorrel. When the vegetables are almost soft but not coloured add the hot stock and boiling milk.  Bring back to the boil and cook until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the watercress and sorrel and boil with the lid off for 4-5 minutes approx. until the watercress is just cooked. The sorrel will discolour but the watercress will keep its colour. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour. Puree the soup in a liquidiser. Taste and correct seasoning.

Enjoy with some crusty bread.

Foragers Salad

A selection of wild leaves such as:

Dandelion leaves

wild watercress

wild landcress

bittercress

chickweed

wild sorrel

oxalis

pennywort also known as Bread and Butter

Dressing

3 tablespoons cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon apple balsamic vinegar or Forum chardonnay vinegar

pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Allow 1 handful of the wild leaves per person. Wash carefully in cold water and dry in a salad spinner. Keep chilled until ready to use.

To make the dressing.

Whisk the oil, vinegar and salt to mix. Taste and correct the seasoning. Toss the dried leaves in just enough of the dressing to make the leaves glisten. Taste a leaf to check that the seasoning is well balanced.

Serve immediately.

Apple, Blackberry and Sweet Geranium Tart with Sweet Geranium Sugar

The 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.  It can be made and frozen ahead.

Serves 8-12

Pastry

225g butter

50g caster sugar

2 eggs, preferably free range

350g plain flour, preferably unbleached

Filling

600g Bramley Seedling cooking apples

110g blackberries

6 sweet geranium leaves, torn

150g sugar

egg wash-made with one beaten egg and a dash of milk

Sweet Geranium Sugar

2-4 sweet geranium leaves

50g caster sugar

To Serve

softly whipped cream

1 x 23cm x 2.5cm deep round tart tin

Preheat the oven to 180°C/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 several minutes. Reduce speed 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 2 hours otherwise it is difficult to handle.

Meanwhile, make the Sweet Geranium Sugar.

Whizz the sweet geranium leaves with the caster sugar in a food processor. Spread over a baking tray and set aside at room temperature to dry out.

To make the tart.

Roll out the pastry 3mm thick approx. and use about two-thirds of it to line a suitable tin. Peel, quarter and dice the apples into the tart, add the blackberries and torn sweet geranium leaves, sprinkle with sugar. Cover with a lid of pastry, seal edges, decorate with pastry leaves, egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the apples are tender, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When cooked, sprinkle lightly with Sweet Geranium Sugar and serve with softly whipped cream.

This week a column for students heading off to college with a limited budget and even more limited batterie de cuisine or ‘kitchen kit’.
First a list of basic essentials if you’re to rustle up anything at all in your kitchen. Hopefully you’ll have an oven but I’m not taking this for granted, but I am assuming that you’ll have some sort of hob or a couple of gas jets. I’m also assuming that you’ll have basic cutlery and crockery.
So here we go…
a frying pan and egg slice
a wok
a 22.5cm saucepan and/or a casserole with lid
a nest of three Pyrex or stainless steel bowls
a coil whisk
a couple of wooden spoons, one with a round and the other straight ended
A few 20.5 or 23cm pasta bowls that can also be used for breakfast cereal, soup, stew, risotto or pudding…
I’m not a fan of the Instant pot. But many people are so I’ll leave that up to you but be very wary of the Teflon lined versions which are causing considerable anxiety in some areas. Check it out yourself.
With the few basics I’ve listed above you could make a myriad of dishes in a very short time. If your parents cook, badger them into giving you a couple of lessons before you leave for college and down a few of your favourite family recipes.
A few basics like tomato fondue – a gem, easy peasy to make, an all-rounder as a sauce, a topping for pizza or flatbread, a basis for all kinds of additions like mince, a fillet of fresh fish, a few mussels, a chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs. Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for several days or can be popped into the freezer at the top of your fridge.
Collect some recyclable containers and tubs to take with you.
Plain boiled rice or pilaf rice can of course be an accompaniment to something else but also a base for lots of tasty bits and bobs. A few little cubes of chorizo deliver so much bang for your buck in flavour terms, always worth having in your fridge to jizz up dishes from scrambled egg to a 30 second French omelette, a frittata or even a dish of pasta. Look out for Gubbeen chorizo, made by Fingal Ferguson in West Cork.
Another brilliant standby is a piece of nice fat streaky bacon which can be used in a similar way and also cut into skinny lardons to crisp up and sprinkle over a salad with a generous sprinkling of grated cheese.
Try to always have a few fresh eggs, a brilliant and inexpensive source of protein and it’s so easy to whip up a myriad of satisfying dishes, I could write a whole book on egg dishes alone.
Make friends with a local butcher and ask to buy scraps of inexpensive meat. Learn how to make one basic stew with lots of added root vegetables and a layer of potatoes on top so you’ll have a fine nourishing pot of comforting goodness.
A slow cooker would be another brilliant bit of kitchen kit, perhaps your grandparents might like to gift one to you before you leave for college. Then you could have a stew bubbling and ready to eat when you arrive back to your digs in the evening.
I don’t care how tired or stressed you are, try not to ever buy any ultra processed food and definitely avoid anything that is labelled low-fat, light or healthy, it usually means it isn’t…
Make it a priority to look after your tummy, there’s tons of research now to highlight the importance of a healthy gut biome which hugely affects both our physical and mental health. In other words, our energy level and ability to concentrate and achieve.

Tomato Fondue

Tomato fondue is one of our great convertibles, it has a number of uses, we serve it as a vegetable or a sauce for pasta, filling for omelettes, topping for pizza…It will keep for four or five days in the fridge and freezes perfectly.

Serves 6 approx.

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

110g sliced onions

1 clove of garlic, crushed

900g very ripe tomatoes in summer, or 2 x 400g tins of tomatoes in winter, but peel before using

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar to taste

1 tbsp of any of the following;

freshly chopped mint, thyme, parsley, lemon balm, marjoram or torn basil

Heat the oil in a stainless steel sauté pan or casserole.  Add the sliced onions and garlic toss until coated, cover and sweat on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured – about 10 minutes. It is vital for the success of this dish that the onions are completely soft before the tomatoes are added.  Slice the peeled fresh tomatoes or chopped tinned tomatoes and add with all the juice to the onions.  Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar (tinned tomatoes need lots of sugar because of their high acidity).  Add a generous sprinkling of herbs. Cover and cook for just 10-20 minutes more, or until the tomato softens, uncover and reduce a little.  Cook fresh tomatoes for a shorter time to preserve the lively fresh flavour. 

Tinned tomatoes need to be cooked for longer depending on whether one wants to use the fondue as a vegetable, sauce or filling.

Variations

Tomato Fondue with Chilli

Add 1-2 chopped fresh chillies to the onions when sweating.

Penne with Tomato Fondue

Toss 450g of cooked penne or spaghetti with Tomato and Chilli Fondue.

Tomato and Chorizo Fondue 

Add ½-1 sliced or diced chorizo to the tomato fondue five minutes before the end of cooking, great with pasta.

Tomato, Bean and Rosemary Stew

Add 1 x 400g can of haricot beans or black-eyed beans and 1 tablespoon of chopped rosemary to the above.

Tomato Fondue with Aubergines

Cut 450g Slim Jim aubergines into 7mm slices, sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes.  Dab dry with kitchen paper. 

Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a pan on a high heat, toss the aubergines in batches and cook until golden on both sides, transfer to a bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons of chopped marjoram.  Season with freshly ground black pepper.  Add to the tomato fondue, taste and correct the seasoning. 

Tomato Fondue with Courgettes

Cut 450g courgettes into 1cm dice.

Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a pan on a high heat, toss the courgettes in batches and cook until golden, transfer to a bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons of chopped marjoram.  Season with freshly ground black pepper.  Add to the tomato fondue, taste and correct the seasoning. 

Pilaf Rice

Although a risotto can be made in 20 minutes, it entails 20 minutes of pretty constant stirring which makes it feel rather laboursome. A pilaf on the other hand looks after itself once the initial cooking is underway. The pilaf is versatile – serve it as a staple or add whatever tasty bits you have to hand but don’t be tempted to use it as a dustbin…!

Leftovers will keep in a covered box in the fridge for several days

Serves 4

15g butter

1 tbsp finely chopped onion or shallot

200g long-grain rice (preferably Basmati)

475ml homemade chicken stock

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp freshly chopped herbs e.g. parsley, thyme, chives: optional

Melt the butter in a casserole, add the finely chopped onion and sweat for 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and toss for a minute or two, just long enough for the grains to change colour. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, add the chicken stock, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a minimum and then simmer on top of the stove or in the oven 160°C/Gas Mark 3 for 10 minutes approx. By then the rice should be just cooked and all the water absorbed. Just before serving stir in the fresh herbs if using.

Note

Basmati rice cooks quite quickly; other types of rice may take up to 15 minutes.

Other good things to add to pilaf

Fresh spices, cubes of cooked chorizo, ham or bacon, freshly cooked chicken, sautéed mushrooms, tomato fondue, Parmesan and basil leaves, red and yellow pepper. 

Lamb or Beef Stew with Bacon, Onions and Garden Herbs

Chicken can be substituted for lamb or beef if desired, use brown meat preferably (legs/thighs).

Serves 4

175g green streaky bacon

900g should of lamb chops not less than 2.5cm in thickness, or stewing beef from the shin

seasoned white flour, preferably unbleached

a little butter or oil for sautéing

225g onions

175g carrot, peeled and thickly sliced

375ml approx. lamb or beef stock or water

4-6 ‘old’ potatoes (optional)

sprig of thyme

freshly chopped parsley

Cut the rind off bacon and cut into approx. 1cm cubes.

Cut the meat into large cubes and roll in flour well-seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and sauté the bacon until crisp, remove and put in a casserole. Add the meat to the pan and sauté until golden then add to the bacon in the casserole. Heat control is crucial here, the pan mustn’t burn yet it must be hot enough to sauté the meat. If it is cool the meat will stew rather than sauté and as a result the meat may be tough. Then quickly sauté the onions and carrots, adding a little butter if necessary, and put them into the casserole. Degrease the sauté pan and deglaze with the stock, bring to the boil and pour over the meat.

Cover the top of the stew with peeled potatoes (if using) and season well. Add a sprig of thyme and bring to simmering point on top of the stove, cover the pot and then put into the oven for 45-60 minutes, 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Cooking time depends on how long the meat was sautéed for.

When the casserole is just cooked, strain off the cooking liquid, degrease and return degreased liquid to the casserole and bring to the boil. Add back in the meat, carrots, onions and potatoes, bring back to the boil.

The stew is very good served at this point. Serve bubbling hot sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Variations

Lamb or Beef Stew with Haricot Beans

Add 225g of precooked haricot beans to the stew about two-thirds of the way through cooking, omit the potatoes.

Lamb or Beef Stew with Haricot Beans and Tomatoes

Add 225g of precooked haricot beans to the stew about two-thirds of the way through cooking, omit the potatoes. Make x 1 recipe of Tomato Fondue and fold half of it into the stew just before serving, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary. You will have quite a different but equally delicious stew.

Lamb or Beef Stew with Spices

Add 1 teaspoon each of freshly roasted cumin and coriander seeds in with the carrots and onions and proceed as in the master recipe.

Such excitement yesterday evening, we all piled into my son-in-law’s little fishing boat from the pier and Ballycotton. My youngest grandson Jago had just got his first fishing rod with a reel and flies and was super excited. There’s scarcely been a mackerel seen in Ballycotton Bay all summer long, but the word was out, ‘the mackerel are in’. We puttered round the eastern side of Ballycotton Island, dropped a couple of lines over the edge and hey presto, a mackerel and then four or five ‘silver darlings’ wiggling on the line. It wasn’t quite like old times when mackerel, (a brilliant source of essential omega fatty acids) were crazily plentiful, sadly a rare occurrence nowadays but wildly exciting, nonetheless. Jago learned how to dispatch fish humanely and to gut and fillet them in mere minutes. Seagulls circulated overhead squabbling over entrails.
We had brought a little jam jar of soy sauce and a tube of wasabi with us, on the off chance that we might be fortunate enough to catch a fish. We all love crudo, so we sliced the first few fillets paper thinly, dipped them into soy sauce and wasabi to enjoy divine spanking fresh sashimi – so delicious and such fun to pass the skills down through the generations.
We also landed a couple of pollock, not a particularly flavourful fish but nonetheless delicious when really fresh. Try this pollock with tomato and fresh spices.
There’s a million ways to serve mackerel, I just love them pan-grilled or fried, slathered with a little miso or served with a blob of parsley and lemon butter or green gooseberry sauce to cut the richness. If perchance, you have a few green gooseberries in your freezer, make a simple sugar syrup, toss in some green berries and cook for just a few minutes until they burst, a brilliant tip from Jane Grigson’s, ‘Good Things’ cookbook from many years ago. The gooseberry season is well over by now but sadly the mackerel have only just arrived in Ballycotton and one never knows when we’ll be blessed with another catch.
Freshness is everything with fish, more and more of a challenge nowadays but if you can neither catch or source really fresh fish how about some mussels.
Most supermarkets now sell little net bags of wild or cultivated mussels for just a few euros. They are incredibly good value and an excellent source of iron, cobalamin, vitamin C and many other good things and are cooked in mere minutes. One of my favourite simple suppers is a bowl of freshly opened mussels with homemade mayonnaise, a few slices of freshly baked brown soda bread and a leafy green salad.
Mackerel has always been part of the Irish diet but nowadays has become a rare treat because of an inadequate and patently unfair European policy over more than a decade. Several of the Nordic countries including Norway and Iceland are legally allowed to land three times Ireland’s quota of mackerel to process it into fish meal as a source of salmon and animal feed. Surely, high value mackerel from Irish waters should be used for human consumption not as animal feed in other countries. If you feel strongly about this subject, pick up your pen, write to you TD and call for an urgent change of policy, it’s the 11th hour.
Meanwhile, I give thanks for the few beautiful fresh fish we managed to catch during the summer season.

Crudo with Salmon Eggs and Fennel Flowers

This recipe inspired a dish I enjoyed in a restaurant overlooking Sydney Harbour in Australia. Wild fennel grows along the roadside in many areas and is in flower at present.

It is one of the many crudo recipes we love.

Serves 8-10

450g very fresh mackerel, bream or sea bass.

freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon.

salmon eggs

24 – 50 fennel sprigs (or flowers in season) depending on size

flaky sea salt

Chill the starter plates.

Fillet the fish, if necessary, spoon some of the freshly squeezed juice over the fish. Cover and chill for 15-20 minutes depending on thickness. Slice into paper thin slices. Arrange in a line of overlapping slices in the centre of the plate, spoon little blobs of salmon eggs along the middle and decorate with fennel sprigs and flowers in season. Serve immediately.

Pan-grilled Mackerel with Miso 

Miso adds magic to this recipe as many other, buy some and start to experiment.

Serves 2

4 fillets of fresh mackerel

2 tbsp white miso

½ tbsp of runny honey

1 tsp of Asian sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

Accompaniment

salad of organic leaves

Whisk all the marinade ingredients together.  Coat each mackerel fillet and allow to absorb the flavour for 15-20 minutes. 

Heat a grill-pan over a medium heat.  Wipe excess marinade from the fish.  Drizzle with olive oil, cook skin side down for 2 minutes approximately, then flip over to cook the flesh side, continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.  Serve immediately with a salad of organic leaves.

Note: Alternatively, just roast on a baking tray in a preheated moderate oven 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 5-6 minutes.

Warm Poached Mackerel with Bretonne Sauce

Fresh mackerel gently poached and served warm with this simple sauce is an absolute feast, without question one of my favourite foods.

Serves 4 as a main course

8 as a starter

4 fresh mackerel

1.2 litres water

1 tbsp salt

Bretonne Sauce

75g butter, melted

1 egg yolk, preferably free range

½ tsp Dijon mustard (We use Maille Verte Aux Herbs)

1 tsp parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp chervil, finely chopped

1 tsp chives, finely chopped

½ tsp tarragon, finely chopped

1 tsp fennel, finely chopped

Cut the heads off very fresh mackerel.  Gut and clean them but keep whole. 

Bring the water to the boil; add the salt and the mackerel.  Bring back to boiling point and remove from the heat.  After about 5-8 minutes, check to see whether the fish are cooked.  The flesh should lift off the bone.  It will be tender and melting. 

Meanwhile make the sauce. 

Melt the butter and allow to boil.  Put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the mustard and the herbs, mix well.  Whisk the hot melted butter into the egg yolk mixture little by little so that the sauce emulsifies.  Keep warm, by placing the Pyrex bowl in a saucepan of hot but not boiling water. 

When the mackerel is cool enough to handle, remove to a plate.  Skin, lift the flesh carefully from the bones and arrange on a serving dish.  Coat with the sauce and serve while still warm with a good green salad and new potatoes.

Pollock with Tomatoes and Fresh Spices

Spread the tomato topping sparingly on the fish fillets – otherwise the delicate flavour of the fish will be overpowered rather than enhanced.  Haddock or ling may be used also.

Serves 6 as a main course

1.1kg thick pollock fillets cut into 6 x 175g pieces, skinned

¼ tsp salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

¼ tsp ground turmeric

Spicy Tomato Topping

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp scant fennel seeds

1 tsp scant mustard seeds

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

175g onion, finely chopped

1-2 tsp ground cumin seeds

1 tsp salt

a little pinch of cayenne pepper

½-1 tsp sugar

450g very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1 x 400g tin tomatoes, chopped

¼ teaspoon of Garam Masala (see recipe)

fresh coriander

Mix the salt, cayenne pepper and turmeric together and sprinkle over both sides of the fish fillets.  Cover and leave aside while you make the sauce.  Heat the olive oil in a saucepan.  When it is hot, add the fennel and mustard seeds which will start to pop in a few seconds. (Be careful as they burn really easily.  If the spices burn, start again – burnt spices will ruin the finished dish). Then add the crushed garlic and chopped onions.  Continue to cook until the onions turn golden, then add the ground cumin, salt and cayenne pepper and sugar.  Stir and then add the tomatoes and juice, finally the Garam masala.  Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes. 

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

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan, brown the chunky pieces of fish on both sides (this step is optional) and remove to a warm oven proof serving dish.  Cover with the tomato sauce and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the fish is just cooked.  Garnish with coriander sprigs.  Serve with new potatoes and a good green salad.

Note

Be careful not to overdo the cayenne!

Madhur Jaffrey’s Garam Masala

Commercial garam masala loses its aromatic flavour very quickly, so it’s always best to make your own.  Grind it in small quantities so that it is always fresh and used up quickly. 

Makes about 3 tbsp

1 tbsp green cardamom seeds

1 x 5cm piece of cinnamon stick

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp whole cloves

1 tsp black peppercorns

¼ whole nutmeg

Put all the ingredients into a clean electric coffee grinder and whizz for about 30 seconds or until all the spices are finely ground.  Store in a dark place in a tiny screw top jar and use up quickly.  Don’t forget to clean out the coffee grinder really well or your coffee will certainly perk you up!  Better still, if you use spices regularly, keep a grinder especially for that purpose.

For me, Nine Bean Rows company who publishes the Blasta book series is the most exciting cookbook publishing company in Ireland at present. Kristin Jensen came up with the genius idea of doing a series of single subject cookbooks (A5 in size) with approx. 30 recipes. The colourful illustrations are by Nicky Hooper in her inimitable style. Recipes are carefully chosen to showcase a range of exciting dishes using the initial topic. Tacos, Hot Fish, Wok, Soup, Tapas, Wasted, Masarap, Funky, Whole Catch…
The latest book to arrive on my desk is entitled Agak-Agak, apparently pronounced Aga-Aga. The author Sham Hanifa, an award-winning Malaysian chef, businessman and broadcaster who now lives in Carrick on Shannon, County Leitrim,  lured there by the love of a lovely local school teacher, Dympna…
He’s run and co-opened many restaurants including The Cottage Restaurant, My Kitchen by Sham Hanifa, Synergy Café, Buffalo Boy Steakhouse plus he also sells a range of Chef Sham’s sauces with a devoted customer base.
You may also have seen him on the Virgin Media Six O’Clock Show where he demonstrates easy Asian style dishes which has built up quite the enthusiastic following.
How things have changed…when I started the Ballymaloe Cookery School 1983, many folk were still wary of garlic and few would venture next nor near a chilli.
Fast forward to now – we have become super adventurous and simply can’t get enough chilli, gochujang, sumac, ketjap manis and all manner of  spices. We totally love Asian flavours and are becoming more and more adventurous – Japanese, Turkish, Moroccan, Ethiopian, Caucasian…Bring it on.
Well back to this little book, Agak-Agak, pronounced Aga, Aga which in Malaysian, means, ‘guess – guess’ or ‘use your instincts’.
Sham rightly assumes less rather than more knowledge, so initial chapters feature essential basics like:
Three key ingredients
Lime leaves, an essential ingredient in Malaysian food,
(use frozen if you can’t get fresh although they are becoming more widely available).
Ketjap manis, an Indonesian sweet soy sauce and essential store cupboard ingredient.
Galangal, a cousin of fresh ginger.
Next chapter is entitled, Start here…and then there’s a chapter on how to make (spice paste), satay sauce and an essential chicken broth.
Take a little time to study these pages to understand the basics of Malaysian food and then you’re ready to embark on the recipes.
Hainanese chicken rice, one of my favourite dishes in the whole world is first, then there’s nasi goring, satay of course, tom yum, laksa, lamb rendang, nasi lemak, coconut rice and on and on.
I just didn’t know where to begin. One recipe more tempting than the next so I’ve chosen just three to get you started.

*All recipes from Blasta Books 11: Agak-Agak by Sham Hanifa, published by Blasta Books

Mussels with Coconut, Lemongrass, Lime and Ginger

Living in Ireland for the past 23 years, I’ve had the chance to travel all over the country with Euro-Toques to see and taste the best of Irish produce, including a boat trip in the Killary fjord to taste beautiful Irish mussels. With my Asian background, I love to create East-meets-West dishes like this one. Originally this masak lemak recipe uses clams, cockles or periwinkles but I decided to use mussels. It’s simple and quick to prepare if you already have the spice paste in the fridge or freezer. Just fry the paste to bring up the aroma, then add the coconut milk and mussels and it’s ready in no time.

Serves 4

For the spice paste:

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, bottom halves only, thinly sliced (save the tops)

2 bird’s eye chillies, chopped

2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, roughly chopped

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

For the mussels:

1kg mussels

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 shallot, halved lengthways and thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 bird’s eye chilli, halved lengthways

1 tbsp spice paste

50ml water

1 x 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk

juice of ½ lime

1 lime leaf

1 tbsp fish sauce, plus extra to taste

1 tsp light brown sugar

To make the spice paste, blend all the ingredients until smooth in a high-speed blender or crush them together in a pestle and mortar. You need only 1 tablespoon of the paste for this dish, so save the rest for another time.

Rinse the mussels under cold running water and debeard them. If any are open, give them a gentle tap on the countertop. If they close, they’re safe to eat. If they stay open, throw them away.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, chilli, lemongrass tops and 1 tablespoon of the spice paste. Cook for 1 minute, then add the water and cook for 30 seconds before stirring in the coconut milk. Bring up to a simmer, then add the lime juice, lime leaf, fish sauce and brown sugar.

Add the mussels, cover the pan and give it a quick shake. Cook for 3 minutes, until all the mussels have opened. Discard any that are still closed. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more fish sauce if needed.

To serve, divide among four wide, deep bowls.

Nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice)

Every Malaysian grows up eating nasi goreng. The only difference is that we all have our own style of cooking it. The best way to make it is to use leftover rice. Malaysians eat rice every day, so we’d often have nasi goreng for breakfast or take a lunch box of nasi goreng to school. I always serve it with a sunny-side-up fried egg.

Serves 4

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 shallot, sliced

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 batch of spice paste

1 tsp ground turmeric

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced very small

2 tbsp ketjap manis

1 egg

600g leftover cooked basmati rice (or 200g dried rice, cooked as usual), not jasmine rice – it’s too sticky

100g green beans, finely

chopped

For the spice paste:

3 dried red chillies

3 shallots, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

a thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp caster sugar

To serve:

fried eggs, sunny side up

To garnish:

thinly sliced spring onions

thinly sliced fresh red chilli

To make the spice paste, soak the dried red chillies in a small bowl of water for 1 hour, until soft, then drain and roughly chop. Put the chillies in a pestle and mortar with the rest of the spice paste ingredients and crush to a paste. A blender won’t work here – there are so few ingredients, they won’t catch and blend properly.

Heat the sesame and vegetable oils in a large wok or frying pan on a medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant, then add the spice paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, then add the turmeric and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken, stirring to coat it all with the paste. Cook for a few minutes, then add the ketjap manis. Stir-fry for another minute or two, then crack in the egg and quickly scramble it, stirring constantly.

Add the cooked rice and green beans and cook for 5 minutes to thoroughly heat the rice until it’s piping hot and has absorbed all the flavours. Spread it out evenly in the wok or pan so that it dries out evenly – this makes it less stodgy. Taste and season with salt.

Divide among bowls, serve with a fried egg, sunny side up, and garnish with thinly sliced spring onion and chilli.

Som tam (mango and papaya slaw)

When we were kids, my mother used to bring us to visit our family on the Malaysian border of Thailand during Wesak Day (Buddha Day) or Songkran (Thai New Year). We’d always have som tam with our dinner, using the unripe mango and papaya from the garden.

Serves 4

1 green (unripe) papaya or Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 large, ripe mango, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks

10 raw green beans, chopped

2 fresh red chillies, cut into matchsticks

a handful of fresh coriander, chopped

1 lime leaf, shredded

40g dry roasted peanuts, chopped

juice of 3 limes

2-3 tbsp fish sauce

1-2 tbsp light brown sugar

1 tsp grated garlic

1 head of Baby Gem lettuce, broken into individual leaves, to serve (optional)

Put all the ingredients except the Baby Gem (if using) in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Toss everything together with your hands, then taste and add more fish sauce and/or sugar if needed.

Line a serving bowl with the Baby Gem leaves (if using), then pile the slaw into the middle. That’s it! This is best eaten straight away, when it’s fresh. If you want to get ahead, prep all the ingredients but mix them together just before serving.

TRY THIS:

• Scatter over some crispy bacon.
• Add cooked glass noodles, chopped bird’s eye chilli and a little extra fish sauce and sugar to make this into a noodle dish.
• Add cooked glass noodles and roll it all up in a rice paper wrapper to make a summer roll.

Just snatched a few days break down on the south coast of Britain to celebrate a friends ‘noughty’ birthday. He is one of the pioneers of the organic food movement in the UK. An original rocker, he regaled us all with a feisty rendition of Egg and Daughter Nite by John Prine and Buy Organic, Save the Planet, first recorded in 1991.

Friends came from all over the world to celebrate this special birthday and to enjoy the gorgeous feast of summer salads and koftas and the most unbelievably beautiful 80th birthday cake lavishly decorated with fresh flowers which had been lovingly transported all the way from Bristol to Hastings.

Also loved these bhajis which our wonderfully colourful hostess with her wildflower tiara shared with us. Following the party, we spent a night in Ramsgate, ‘been there done that’ but don’t need to rush back…
Margate however is quite a different story, it’s really rocking, it’s all happening in the seaside town with lots of independent shops, cafés, markets, clubs.

A highlight for us was to see the mysterious Shell Grotto, a series of underground passages and little rooms lavishly embellished with sea shells. It was discovered in 1835. There are lots of intriguing theories but as yet despite much diligent research no one seems to know who is responsible for this wonderful creation. The shells are somewhat discoloured from many years of gas lighting, but the patterns are still evident.

How about making a beautiful folly at home or in your garden from mussel, periwinkle, cockle, scallop and oyster shells which are mostly discarded so save your shells even if it’s only to embellish a picture frame or a mirror. Not sure if you’ve seen the beautiful Shell House, Blot Kerr Wilson embellished in Kinoith Gardens in 1995, it’s open to the public every day, year round except on Sundays.

Next day, we made a pilgrimage to The Sportsman in Seasalter, Stephen Harris’s pub with a well-deserved reputation for some of the best pub food in the UK. As ever they were totally fully booked, but I pleaded for a table or even a stool. The meal was so worth the detour with one delicious plate after another plus a couple of superb desserts. A summer herb panna cotta, also a fruit salad of summer berries including Kent cherries, loganberries and little green gooseberries scattered on top of a scoop of lemon verbena granita in a crisp basket.  There were also several homemade breads, including this riff on Irish soda bread with home churned butter from Stephen Harris’s cookbook, The Sportsman published by Phaidon in 2017 is now sadly out of print, but I’ve managed to track down a copy in a West Cork bookshop. It’s got a Michelin Star but mercifully none of the fluff and foams and skid marks on plates that one expects from these starred restaurants.

Our final night was spent at Uptown Farmhouse near Deal, a beautiful country house with extensive gardens. Just six bedrooms and irresistible food. This is quite the find, owned by London chef Rowley Leigh’s daughter Ruth and son-in-law Ali. Both dinner and breakfast were memorable. Fresh beautiful produce, carefully sourced from the garden and local area. Juicy roast pork with borlotti beans and warm cherry tomatoes was particularly memorable as was a salad of buffalo mozzarella with chunks of ripe, doughnut peaches, basil and whisper of chili. It’s close to the town of Deal with its beautiful long sandy strand and numerous indi shops, cafés and the multi award winning Black Pig Butcher owned by Lizzy Douglas, winner of the BBC Radio 4 Food Programme’s Food and farming ‘Food Producer’ Award in 2022. Lizzy specialises in nose-to-tail eating and artisanal butchery and buys her superb naturally reared meat locally.
The trip was far too short. We discovered a part of England that we had not previously visited. Miles of beautiful coastal footpaths to explore, we even saw the legendary white cliffs of Dover. Can’t wait to return to explore at a more leisurely pace.

The Sportsman’s Soda Bread

Recipe from The Sportsman by Stephen Harris published by Phaidon

During the 1980’s, my dad lived in Dublin and when I used to visit him, we always ate the local soda bread. It left a lasting impression on me, and I now use it for some snacks and starters, as well as serving it on our bread board. I have seen many customers eating this bread with our butter and not wanting to move on. This version is based on Richard Corrigan’s recipe but over time, we have added more treacle.

Makes 1 loaf

125g wholemeal flour

65g self-raising flour

65g pinhead oats

30g bran

15g wheatgerm

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp treacle

300ml buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7 and generously flour a baking tray.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the treacle and buttermilk and mix together until fully incorporated.

Turn the sticky dough out onto a well-floured work counter and knead lightly, just until no longer sticky. Form into a loaf shape and lift onto the prepared baking tray.

Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven, then lower the temperature to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for 30-40 minutes. When the loaf is cooked, it should sound hollow when you tap the underside. Or test with a skewer, which should come out clean when inserted into the centre of the bread.

Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack.

Savannah’s Vegetable Bhajis

These delicious bhajis can be made with carrot or sweet potato or a mix of both. Thank you for sharing Jo.

600g sweet potato/carrot grated on a large grater in a Magimix

300g chard or baby spinach, chopped 

3 tbsp chives finely chopped

1 tbsp turmeric

2 tsp Kashmiri or Aleppo chilli pepper or mild paprika if you prefer it milder

5 eggs

200g plain flour or gluten-free flour

2 tsp baking powder

salt and pepper to taste 

Mix eggs and dry ingredients together to firm batter, add all other ingredients and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok or deep frying pan 

Shape about 2 tablespoons of the bhajis mixture in your hands into a rough ball shape and add to hot oil. Fry until crisp and golden brown, 2-3 minutes approx. The mixture is a bit messy but if the oil is at the correct temperature, it should hold together.

The bhajis will puff up so you only need a small amount of batter mixture per fritter. Drain on kitchen paper. 

Serve with a yoghurt based dip. 

Plaice or Lemon Sole with Herb Mussel Butter

This Ballymaloe classic is a very simple ‘master technique’ which can be used not only for roasting plaice and sole but for all very fresh flat fish, e.g. brill, turbot, dabs, flounder and lemon sole.   Depending on the size of the fish, it can be a starter or a main course. Because it’s cooked whole on the bone, it retains maximum flavour. Peel the skin off the top when cooked and coat with the herb and mussel butter.  We sometimes add a few peeled shrimps, cockles or periwinkles to the butter or sauce for an equally exquisite dish. The Sportsman used slip sole.

Serves 4

4 very fresh plaice or lemon sole on the bone

20-28 mussels, depending on the size of the fish

Herb Butter

50-110g butter

4 tsp mixed finely-chopped fresh parsley, chives, fennel and thyme leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5.

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

Sprinkle the fish with salt and freshly-ground pepper and lay them in a generous 5mm of water in a shallow baking tin.   Roast in a moderately hot oven for 20-30 minutes according to the size of the fish.  The water should have just evaporated as the fish is cooked.  Check to see whether the fish is cooked by lifting the flesh from the bone at the head; it should lift off the bone easily and be quite white with no trace of pink.

Wash the mussels under cold water and drain well.

Put into a saucepan, cover and cook on a medium heat. Check after 2 or 3 minutes by which time the mussels should be open and have given off some liquid. Remove from the pan, as soon as the mussels are cool enough, extract from their shells (save the shells to make a folly). Strain the mussel liquid.

Just before serving, melt the butter and stir in the freshly-chopped herbs, add the mussels and a little mussel cooking liquid.  Just before serving catch the skin down near the tail and pull it off gently (the skin will tear badly if not properly cut).  Lift the fish onto hot plates and spoon the herb and mussel butter over each one.  Serve immediately.

National Farmers’ Market Week runs from the 4^th-10^th August 2024 so in this column, I joyously celebrate the Farmers’ Markets and the heroic producers who harvest their home grown produce, hail rain or shine, then pack up and set off at the crack of dawn on market day.  They set up their stalls to sell to their local community, tourists and holiday makers who long to get a  glimpse of what’s in season in the area, a taste of that place.
It’s 28 years now since Myrtle Allen and I first packed up the rusty old Renault van and headed off for the Coal Quay on Cornmarket Street in Cork to set up what was to be the first Farmers’ Market in Ireland.
Caroline Robinson who still sells her beautiful homegrown chemical-free, seasonal vegetables set up beside us as did Frank Hederman from Belvelly Smokehouse near Cobh, now trading in the English Market throughout the week as well as Mahon Point Farmers’ Market on Thursday and Midleton on Saturday.
Declan Ryan was also there with his sourdough bread which at that stage was baked in his converted garage. Declan and his wife Patsy have recently retired and passed on his hugely successful business to Bretzel Bakery who will continue to use his recipes and uphold the artisan baking tradition.
Clodagh McKenna also started her very successful career on a stall in the Coal Quay and went on to write several best-selling cookbooks and present many successful TV series before marrying Harry Herbert of Highclere in the UK where she continues to grow and teach classes.
Jill Bell sold her delicious homemade cakes. She too went on to establish the much loved Well and Good Health Food Shop in Midleton and on and on…
Klaus and Hannah Balz sold beautiful bunches of fresh flowers from their garden. Over 27 years later, Klaus continues to sell plants and flowers on the Coal Quay each Saturday, how wonderful is that.  All were members of the important Cork Free Choice Consumer Group established by Myrtle Allen and Caroline Robinson in 1989.
I’d first come across the Farmers’ Market concept in San Francisco in 1995 when a friend introduced me to the newly established Farmers’ Market, in a parking lot in the Bay Area of town.
At that stage, in this country, setting up a market stall on the side of the street was not cool. Here in Ireland the supermarkets, already well established, were going over to the central distribution system and some were penalising their local shops if they bought more than 2% of their produce locally.
Consequently, small local potato and vegetable growers particularly were unable to sell their products to local shops and local people were no longer able to source their food locally.
Myrtle Allen and I became intensely concerned about the situation. Seeing this new age Farmers’ Market in San Francisco with stalls piled high with beautiful fresh produce, fresh flowers, home baked pastries and cakes, farmstead cheese, organic plump organic chickens was a eureka moment. Suddenly a lightbulb went on – I realised that if we could re-establish the market system in Ireland, local people could buy local food from local farmers and food producers who would be delighted to get paid a fair price directly so they could continue to work on the land that they love.
Midleton Farmers’ Market in 2000 was probably the next to be established, Mahon Point and Douglas not long afterwards.
Now I read that there are 160 plus Farmers’ Markets scattered around the country.
How fortunate are people who have a good Farmers’ Market close by. Sadly, they are not all as bustling and vibrant as Skibbereen for example.  Sometimes folk tell me that the farmers’ markets are too expensive, usually people who never actually shop in them.
In Midleton recently, I bought a bag of beautiful dessert apples from The Little Irish Apple company, seven perfect apples for €2, how about that for value?
Many farmers tell me that they would not no longer be on the land if it wasn’t for the Farmers’ Market movement. Remember farmers are fortunate if they get paid a third of the price on the supermarket shelf and are super lucky if they’re paid within a month.
The people who feed us are now ‘price takers’ not ‘price makers’. 
We need to wake up…so if you can, go along and support your local Farmers’ Market and bring home a basket full of beautiful fresh produce to nourish yourself and your family. Why not pay the farmer to keep you well, rather than spend your money on pills and supplements – our food can be our medicine!
This is the most bountiful time of the year for fresh produce, try these recipes for ratatouille, roast onions and almond tart with strawberries.
Let’s give thanks for the bounty of nature and don’t forget a hug for the farmer, they’ve had a rotten year with unprecedented weather challenges and more often than not, below cost prices for their produce…another reason to support farmers’ markets.

Ratatouille Nicoise ( Mediterranean Vegetable Stew)

Ratatouille, perhaps the most famous Mediterranean vegetable stew of all, can be a horrible, overcooked mess… Unless you stand over the pot., it’s super easy to overcook it by the classic method so I have been following Roger Verge’s example by cooking the aubergines and courgettes separately and adding them in at the end with far better results.

Serves 8-10

450g medium sized aubergines

450g courgettes (zucchini), not more than 15cm long

olive oil

2 red peppers, cut into quarters and cut into 2.5cm squares

1 green pepper, cut into quarters and cut into 2.5cm squares

2 large cloves of garlic, crushed

2 large onions, sliced 350g

450g very ripe tomatoes or 1 x 400g tin of tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper

½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil or annual marjoram

Slice the unpeeled aubergines and courgettes into 1cm rounds, sprinkle with a little salt and put into a colander. Leave for an hour to drain, then wash and dry with kitchen paper.  Heat a grill pan, toss the aubergines and courgettes lightly in olive oil.  Cook in a single layer until golden brown on each side, adding a little more olive oil if necessary and drain on a wire rack over an oven tray.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide casserole, add the sliced onions and crushed garlic, cover and sweat on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes. As they begin to soften add the peppers, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes.   Meanwhile, peel and slice the tomatoes, add to the peppers and season with salt, pepper and sugar.  Simmer without covering the pan until the vegetables are just cooked, about 6-8 minutes.  Then add the aubergines and courgettes with the crushed coriander.  Stir gently, add the basil or marjoram.  Taste and correct seasoning.

Note: Ratatouille Nicoise can be served hot or cold.

Variations

Ratatouille with Olives

Add 110g whole black olives to the ratatouille about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Ratatouille with Poached Eggs

Heat 2 generous tablespoons of ratatouille per person, make a nest on a hot plate for each person and drop a poached egg into the centre – a perfect supper dish.

Roast Onions

So utterly simple and delicious.  Roast onions were one of the big hits in my book ‘Simply Delicious Food for Family and Friends’.  Eat them on their own, serve them with Marjoram Butter or as an accompaniment to a juicy steak or lots of other good things.

Choose small, medium or large sized onions.  Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.  Cook the unpeeled onions on a baking tray until soft, this can take anything from 10 minutes to an hour depending on size.  Serve in their jackets.

To eat, cut off the root end, squeeze out the onion if they are tiny, enjoy with marjoram or garlic butter and sea salt.  Larger onions are best split in half.

Variations

Roast Onions Halves

Cut the unpeeled onions in half from top to bottom.  Drizzle the cut side of the onion halves with a little olive oil and arrange in a roasting tray cut side down.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Roast in a preheated oven 200°C/Gas Mark 6 for 20-40 minutes depending on size.  The onions should be perfectly tender and the cut side nicely caramelised.

Seared Onions

Cut the onion in half lengthwise (do not remove the skin).  Drizzle with olive oil.  Place flesh side down on a hot pan-grill and cook until charred and caramelised – the flesh should be soft.  Serve immediately.

Roast Onions with Marjoram Butter

Roast the onions as above, serve with a blob of Marjoram Butter (see recipe) melting in the centre so exquisite that you won’t want anything else for supper.

Garlic Butter

50g butter

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

Cream the butter, stir in the parsley and add the crushed garlic.  Roll into butter pats or form into a roll and wrap in parchment paper, screwing each end so it looks like a cracker. Refrigerate to harden.  Cut into slices to serve.

Marjoram Butter

Add 1 tablespoon chopped annual marjoram to 50g butter.

Almond Tart with Strawberries

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

Serves 10-12

Pastry

225g flour

25g caster sugar

a pinch of salt

110g unsalted butter

1 egg

Almond Filling

285g soft butter unsalted

225g caster sugar

285g whole almonds

3 eggs

1 dsp Amaretto or Rum

1 tbsp of flour (optional)

a generous pinch of salt (essential the enhance the flavour of the frangipane)

450g fresh strawberries or a mixture of strawberries and raspberries

Garnish

little sprigs of fresh mint

1 x 28cm x 3.5cm tart tin with ‘pop-up’ base

First make the pastry.

Sieve the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour and then rub in with your fingertips. Keep everything as cool as possible; if the fat is allowed to melt, the finished pastry may be tough. When the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, stop.

Whisk the egg. Using a fork to stir, add just enough liquid to bring the pastry together, then discard the fork and collect it into a ball with your hands, this way you can judge more accurately if you need a few more drops of liquid. Although rather damp pastry is easier to handle and roll out, the resulting crust can be tough and may well shrink out of shape as the water evaporates in the oven. The drier and more difficult-to-handle pastry will give a crisper, shorter crust.

Flatten into a round, cover the pastry and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will make the pastry much less elastic and easier to roll.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Line the flan ring and bake blind for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile make the almond filling.

Blanch the almonds in boiling water, remove the skins and grind in a liquidiser or food processor.

Cream the butter with the sugar until soft and fluffy, beat in the eggs one by one, then stir in the freshly ground almonds, flour, salt and amaretto if available. Pour into the pastry case, reduce the temperature to 160°C/Gas Mark 3, and bake for 45-60 minutes.

Remove from the tin onto a wire rack.  Allow to cool completely.

Just before serving, if the strawberries are too large cut in half or quarters and cover the surface of the tart.  Use whole raspberries if using. Sprinkle with icing sugar.  Tuck some little sprigs of fresh mint here and there between the strawberries and/or raspberries if using. 

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as we say in Cork, so it’s hardly surprising that Jamie Oliver‘s 13 year old son Buddy should be just as determined as his father to get kids into the kitchen to have fun and to discover how easy it is to cook lots of yummy dishes for themselves and their friends.
Jamie and Jules obviously made their kitchen at home a joyous fun place where the children picked up cooking basics effortlessly and were keen to share the skills with pals.
Buddy started his YouTube channel aptly named Cooking Buddies in 2020.  He’s definitely got his Dad‘s charisma…he’s confident and charming and not afraid to make little mistakes here and there which help to encourage his now 135K subscribers.
More recently Cooking Buddies is on BBC and iPlayer and is getting a tremendous response.
Even the naysayers who complain that cooking TV is disproportionately peppered with the offspring of the rich and famous, cannot deny Buddy’s talent.
His new cookbook, Let’s Cook, takes children on an irresistible adventure and dare I say is also a brilliant introduction for parents who haven’t had time or maybe the inclination to cook thus far. His enthusiasm is infectious, and he’s got lots of little hints and tips on how to make a series of super tasty dishes with accessible ingredients and basic equipment.
No need to have a Magimix to make breadcrumbs, just grate stale or frozen bread on a simple box grater…there are riffs and ‘helpful hacks’ on the bottom of many recipes.
This is a book to buy for all the family.
You’ll never regret encouraging your children to learn how to cook, it’s one of the most important gifts we can give them. Cooking and washing up together is actually a brilliant bonding experience and the best fun. We’re not talking fancy cheffy recipes with complicated techniques, just good simple nutritious food that will fuel them with tons of energy and vitality and the ability to really concentrate at school and perform on the sports field.
I myself am greatly tempted by many of the ‘simply delicious’ recipes.
 Super quick flatbreads, one cup pancakes, veggie nachos, humus and dippers, chicken lollipops, steak sarnies…
All written in Buddy’s inimitable ‘happy chappy’ style but very morish.

Let’s Cook: Fun, easy recipes for kids by Buddy Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph ©Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited Recipe Photography: David Loftus.

The Ultimate Burger

With melty cheese and salad

“Homemade burgers are fast, fun and taste juicier than the ones you buy. Plus, you can stack up the toppings and layer in your favourite sauces exactly as you like them.”

Serves 4

4 gherkins

2 ripe tomatoes

200g red cabbage

red wine vinegar

½ an iceberg lettuce

½ a cucumber

extra virgin olive oil

1 x 400g tin of green lentils

250g higher-welfare minced beef or veggie mince

olive oil

4 slices of Cheddar cheese (60g total)

4 small burger buns

optional: tomato ketchup and/or mayo

1. Slice the gherkins (use a crinkle-cut knife, if you’ve got one) and tomatoes, and set aside. Finely slice or grate the red cabbage, then toss in a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
2. Shred the lettuce and slice the cucumber, then place in another mixing bowl and dress with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
3. Drain the lentils and pat dry with kitchen paper, then blitz in a food processor with the mince and a pinch of black pepper. Divide the mixture into 4 equal pieces and shape into 3cm-thick patties.
4. Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Brush the patties with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then carefully place in the hot pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through, nudging the patties towards the edge of the pan to sear the sides.
5. When the burgers are looking good, place a slice of cheese on top of each one, add a splash of water to the pan (the steam will help the cheese to melt), then cover for an extra 4 minutes, or until melted.
6. Cut the buns in half (toast them if you like), add a dollop of ketchup and/or mayo (if using) to each base, then place a burger on top.
7. Layer the gherkin, tomato and cucumber slices, and a pinch of lettuce on top of each one, then pop the lids on. Serve the rest of the lettuce, cucumber and tomato on the side, along with the pickled cabbage.

Barbecued Chicken Lollipops

With pepper and pineapple salsa, and lemony couscous

Serves 2

150g wholewheat couscous

olive oil

2 lemons

2 x 120g higher-welfare skinless chicken breasts

4 sprigs of rosemary (tied together with a piece of string)

1 tsp runny honey

1 red pepper

¼ of a small red onion

150g pineapple

extra virgin olive oil

optional: ½ a bunch of soft herbs, such as mint, flat-leaf parsley (15g)

4 tbsp natural yoghurt

1. Soak 6 wooden skewers in cold water to stop them burning later on.
2. Place the couscous in a bowl with ½ a tablespoon of olive oil. Finely grate in the zest of ½ a lemon and squeeze in the juice, throwing the squeezed half into the bowl. Just cover the couscous with boiling water, then cover and leave aside to fluff up.
3. Carefully push 3 skewers horizontally into each chicken breast (trim the skewers, if needed), season with black pepper, squeeze over the juice of ½ a lemon and drizzle with ½ a tablespoon of olive oil.
4. You can cook the skewers on a hot barbecue or in a non-stick frying pan on the hob. Either way, cook them for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through, turning regularly. For the final minute of cooking, use the rosemary sprigs to brush the honey over the chicken, giving it a lovely sticky glaze.
5. Halve, deseed and finely chop the pepper, then peel and finely chop the onion and pineapple, and scrape everything into a bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil, then taste and season with sea salt and pepper, if needed. Pick and finely chop the herbs (if using), then add to the bowl and toss together.
6. Fluff up the couscous with a fork, season to taste with salt and pepper, and divide between serving plates.
7. Slice the chicken between the skewers, making sure it’s cooked through – if it’s not, give it a little longer. Place 3 chicken lollipops on each plate and divide up the salsa. Serve with yoghurt for dipping and cut the remaining lemon into wedges for squeezing over.

Rocky Road

With white chocolate drizzle

Serves 16

olive oil, for greasing

100g dark chocolate (70%)

100g quality milk chocolate

125g unsalted butter

75g golden syrup

50g marshmallows

150g biscuits, such as ginger nuts, digestives

75g unsalted nuts, such as pistachios, toasted hazelnuts

75g chocolate-covered honeycomb

75g glacé cherries or dried fruit

50g quality white chocolate

1. Lightly oil a 25cm x 30cm roasting tray and line it with a sheet of damp greaseproof paper.
2. Sit a heatproof bowl on top of a pan of lightly simmering water, snap in the dark and milk chocolate, add the butter and golden syrup, and stir occasionally until melted.
3. Halve the marshmallows, snap up the biscuits, roughly chop or bash up the nuts, bash up the honeycomb and halve the cherries or dried fruit (if needed), then stir them into the chocolate mixture.
4. Pour into the lined tray and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, then carefully turn out.
5. Snap the white chocolate into a clean heatproof bowl and melt as described in step 2 (or melt in the microwave, if easier). Drizzle the melted chocolate over the rocky road, leave to set in the fridge, then slice up and serve.

This is the title of a new cookbook penned by Sarah Johnson, a brilliant young pastry chef with an impeccable pedigree.

Fruitful is a very personal collection of sweet and savoury seasonal recipes inspired by farms, orchards and gardens. It’s packed with suggestions for ways to celebrate the bounty of summer fruits. There’s an irresistible collection of mouth-watering suppers, salads, elegant cakes and luxurious desserts…

Sarah is American born but now lives in London. She originally trained with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse in Berkeley in California and currently splits her time between Skye Gyngell’s Spring Restaurant in Somerset House and Heckfield Place, the most gorgeous country house hotel in Hampshire.

On her recent visit, she cooked a Pop-Up dinner at Ballymaloe House and did a guest chef appearance at the Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Both the students and guests loved her, she cooked different dishes for both events using the freshest, most lovely, seasonal ingredients from the farm and gardens.

At the cookery school as well as the three recipes I’ve included with this column, she also cooked a frozen yoghurt and honey parfait with roasted blueberries and macerated strawberries and a sublime chocolate tart in a chocolate pastry shell, all of which are in the cookbook as well as a salad of nectarines, green beans, almonds and feta, pan-fried duck breast with blackcurrant, goat cheese soufflés with roasted cherries and a summer herb salad that charmed the guests at Ballymaloe House. 

The students particularly loved her clever tips and tricks and her expert advice for mastering key techniques. There were also thought provoking combinations from fruit growers around the world.

I too love blackcurrants and gooseberries, the latter are almost over but the blackcurrants have been ripening on the bushes for the past few weeks. We’ve had to cover the bushes with light netting otherwise the blackbirds and pigeons would strip every last plump blackcurrant off the branches. There are raspberries and strawberries from January to December, but blackcurrants and gooseberries rarely appear on supermarket shelves, best to plant a few bushes of your own. Make a note in your diary to order some from your garden centre to plant sometime between November and March depending on the weather.

My very favourite way to eat blackcurrants is to poach them in a simple syrup (equal quantities of sugar and water) until they burst (2-3 minutes). Spoon them into bowls immediately,

then pour a little icy cold Jersey cream – divine!

Make the most of the summer fruit while it is in season.

Sarah Johnson’s Fruitful will give you lots of exciting new ideas. Published by Kyle Books.

Savoury Lemon Chicken Piccata

Lemon, chicken and capers appear harmoniously together in a number of dishes, however Sarah’s favourite version is in this Italian-American classic. Serve it with orzo, or buttermilk mashed potatoes and garlicky green beans. 

Serves 4-6

4 skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

140g butter, separated

50ml oil

250g flour

1 clove of garlic

100ml white wine

100ml chicken stock

zest of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp capers

handful of parsley

Begin by cutting each chicken breast in half, slicing through horizontally to create two thinner pieces. Place the slices between two pieces of baking parchment and gently pound until they’re about 1.5cm thick. Season the chicken with salt, cover lightly and set aside for 30 minutes – 1 hour.

When you’re ready to cook, heat a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat then add 40g of the butter and the oil. Put the flour into a shallow bowl, then dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess. When the pan is hot and the butter begins to sizzle, place the cutlets into the hot pan, ensuring you don’t overcrowd the pan (you may need to do this in two batches.) Allow the cutlets to cook for 3-5 minutes, waiting patiently before flipping them. Once they are crisp and golden-brown, and release easily from the bottom of the pan, flip them and quickly sear the other side for about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken. 

Add the chopped garlic to the pan and let it sizzle briefly, but before it browns, add the white wine. Bring the liquid to a boil and let it reduce until it has nearly evaporated. Add the chicken stock and using a spatula, scrape and lift any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the lemon zest, juice, whisk in the remaining butter and then add the capers, swirling them around to form a glossy emulsion. Return the chicken cutlets to the pan, spooning the sauce over each piece until they are warmed through. Take the pan off the heat and let everything rest for 5 minutes.

Just before serving, garnish the dish with freshly chopped parsley and wedges of lemon. 

Serve with buttermilk mash or orzo.

Blackcurrant Jelly

In this recipe, the blackcurrant is set with gelatine rather than pectin, resulting in a bright, fresh-tasting jelly which can be served with a number of dishes both savoury and sweet. It is one of my favourite accompaniments to a number of cheeses, like a young moussey goat’s cheese, or a creamy blue. You may also consider serving small spoonfuls with a terrine or duck pâté on toast. For a sweeter alternative, serve with cold thick cream and sugared rose petals, or include as a layer in your favourite summer trifle. This jelly should be quivering when set, and barely held together by the gelatine. To achieve this, pay particular attention to your measurements.

Serves 6-8

570ml blackcurrant juice (see below)

150–200g caster sugar, plus extra to taste 

4 sheets of gelatine leaf

Measure 100ml of the blackcurrant juice into a small saucepan with the sugar. Place over a gentle heat, swirling occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the juice is hot to touch, then set aside. 

Meanwhile, submerge the gelatine sheets one by one into a bowl of ice-cold water and leave to soften for about 5 minutes. Remove the gelatine from the cold water and squeeze to remove the excess liquid, then add it to the warm currant juice and stir until the gelatine is completely dissolved. Slowly stir in the remaining juice, then strain through a fine-mesh plastic sieve into a serving bowl. Give the jelly a little taste and add a whisper of sugar if desired. Place into the refrigerated uncovered for 2-3 hours, then cover and continue to chill until set. 

Serve with softly whipped cream.

Variation: You may also set the jelly in ramekins, which can be turned out on a plate after a quick run under hot water. 

Cover the remaining pulp with vodka – strain after 7 or 8 days and enjoy.

Blackcurrant Juice

Makes about 600ml

700g topped and tailed blackcurrants

200ml water

Place the blackcurrants in a saucepan with the water, then cover the pan with a lid and bring it to a gentle boil. Lightly mash the currants and let them cook for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and carefully strain the juice through a fine-mesh plastic sieve into a heatproof container, use the back of a ladle to gently press the fruit, being cautious not to agitate it too much to avoid clouding the juice. Use immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Almond Cake with Roasted Apricots and Sugared Rose Petals

This almond cake is definitely one for your repertoire – it’s a keeper!

Serves 8-10

115g almond flour

80g icing sugar

220g caster sugar

195g unsalted butter at room temperature and cut into cubes plus extra for greasing

5 large eggs (290g)

¼ vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract)

2 tsp almond liquor

140g plain flour

1 ¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Roasted Apricots with Muscat Beaumes de Venise (see recipe)

Sugared Rose Petals (see recipe)

Preheat the oven 160°C/Gas Mark 3.

Grease a 23cm cake tin with butter, dust it with flour and tap out the excess.

Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper

In the bowl of a food processor, grind the almond flour and two sugars until properly mixed. Scatter the cubes of butter over the top, then process until the batter is very smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, processing a bit before the next addition. (You may wish to open the machine and scrape the sides down to make sure the eggs are getting fully incorporated.) Add the vanilla and almond liquor.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, then add half the dry ingredients to the processor. Pulse the machine a few times, then add the rest, pulsing until the dry ingredients are just barely incorporated. Scrape down the machine and the blade then pulse one or two more times. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake the cake for 30 minutes. Rotate the cake 180 degrees, then bake for another 15 minutes or when a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and place onto a wire rack to cool.  

Scatter sugared rose petals over the top of the cake and serve with Roasted Apricots with Muscat Beaumes de Venise.

Roasted Apricots with Muscat Beaumes de Venise 

Ripe apricots and Muscat Beaumes de Venise, at their best, share a beguiling scent of honey and sweet nectar. This quality makes them a perfect combination for this simple dish. If you have difficulty sourcing Muscat wine, particularly one that won’t strain your budget, feel free to experiment with other white dessert wines such as Sauternes or Vin Santo. 

Serves 4-6

1kg ripe, fragrant apricots

4 tbsp Muscat Beaumes de Venise

1 vanilla pod (optional)

2-4 tbsp sugar 

Preheat the oven 220°C/Gas Mark 7.

Halve the apricots and remove the stones, saving them for another purpose.

Arrange the apricot halves closely together in a ceramic dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Muscat Beaumes de Venise over the apricots and add just enough water to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Place the dish in the preheated oven for 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds. Place the seeds in a bowl along with the sugar. Using your fingertips, rub the vanilla into the sugar, and set it aside. Once the apricots are hot and gently sizzling around the edges, evenly distribute the sugar mixture over the top. Continue roasting for another 7-10 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved into the fruit and the edges start to darken. The fruit should be tender but still retain its shape. Remove from the oven and cut a small corner from one of the apricots to taste. Adjust the sweetness by adding the remaining sugar if desired. Scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons of Muscat Beaumes de Venise over the apricots and allow them to cool on a wire rack.

Sugared Rose Petals

1 egg white

30 fragrant rose petals, unsprayed and dry

a small bowl of caster sugar

For the sugared rose petals, make sure your hands are clean and dry and keep a towel nearby. Place the egg whites into a small bowl and gently whisk them until frothy. Using one hand, drag your index and middle finger along with your thumb through the frothy whites, then pick up a rose petal and gently rub it between your fingers to moisten it. If the petal feels too heavy, dry your finger with the towel and brush away any excess whites. Drop the petal into the sugar, then use your other clean hand to toss and coat it. Place the sugared petal on a wire rack. Repeat this process with the remaining petals, using one hand to coat them in egg whites and the other hand to toss them in sugar. It’s best to keep the bowls of egg whites and sugar separate to avoid creating a sticky mess. However, if your hands become mixed, simply take a break to rinse your hands, wipe them dry and continue. Once you have candied all the petals, transfer the wire rack in a cool, moist-free place until the petals are brittle and completely dry. They can be stored in a well-sealed container, stacked between pieces of baking parchment for up to a day.

Wedge salads have been all the rage in the US for some time now. For these, the core ingredient is cut into a wedge and left whole rather than shredded then topped with all sorts of deliciousness.

The end result is crunchy and punchy with lots of little nooks and crannies to absorb a refreshing, zesty dressing.

Crisp Iceberg or baby Gem lettuces are favourite but cos or even loose leaves of Butterhead or speckled Castelfranco are delicious too.

I’ve even used baby cabbages and crisp fennel bulbs.

Roasting or grilling perks up the flavour deliciously and it’s fun to add Chinese, Vietnamese or Japanese flavours, Mediterranean, Mexican or traditional Irish.

Love the charred flavour of Radicchio Treviso which mellows the bitterness in an irresistible way.

I was first introduced to this in Venice where it was served on a bed of white polenta.

An Iceberg lettuce can be cut into eight generous wedges. We love it sprinkled with crispy bacon lardons, seasoned cherry tomato quarters, a drizzle of Caesar dressing and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese.

A few shaved radishes would be an extra embellishment. Blue cheese lovers will enjoy a Cashel, Bellingham or Boyne Valley Blue dressing and maybe some pickled red onions. Easy peasy to do, just slice the onion rings thinly.  They’ll keep for several days.

Just a few suggestions but the sky’s the limit….

Rory O’Connell’s Little Gem Lettuce with Caesar Dressing and Chorizo Crumbs

This is a lovely savoury combination. If you can manage to get tight little heads of lettuce, they can be cut into wedges which makes a lovely presentation. Omit the chorizo crumbs if you’re running short of time but they do add a certain je ne sais quoi!

Serves 12 as a bite

3 heads of baby Gem lettuce

6-8 tbsp of Caesar Dressing (see recipe)

3-4 tbsp Chorizo Crumbs (see recipe) or croutons

3-4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

6-12 anchovies (optional)

Cut each lettuce into four neat wedges yielding 12 pieces.

Carefully dress the lettuce wedges with Caesar dressing. Sprinkle each wedge with chorizo crumbs and grated Parmesan. Place an optional anchovy on top of each wedge for a particular savoury taste.

Caesar Dressing

2 egg yolks, preferably free-range

2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 x 50g tin anchovies

1 clove garlic, crushed

a generous pinch of English mustard powder

½ tsp salt

½ – 1 tbsp Worcester sauce

½ – 1 tbsp Tabasco sauce

175ml sunflower oil

50ml extra virgin olive oil

50ml cold water

I make it in a food processor, but it can also be made very quickly by hand. Drain the anchovies and crush lightly with a fork. Put into a bowl with the egg yolks, add the garlic, lemon juice, mustard powder, salt, Worcester and Tabasco sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together.  As you whisk, add the oils slowly at first, then a little faster as the emulsion forms. Finally whisk in the water to make a spreadable consistency. Taste and correct the seasoning: this dressing should be highly flavoured.

Chorizo Crumbs

Chorizo Crumbs are delicious and used in so many ways.  We like to scatter them over potato, celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke or watercress soup.  They are particularly good sprinkled over cauliflower or macaroni cheese.  Keep in a box for several weeks and scatter when you fancy!

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

125g chorizo, peeled and cut into 5mm dice

100g white crust-less breadcrumbs

Put the oil into a cool pan, add the diced chorizo.  Toss on a low heat until the oil starts to colour from the smoked paprika in the chorizo and the chorizo begins to crisp very slightly.  Be careful as it is easy to burn the chorizo. Drain through a metal sieve, save the oil and return to the pan.

Increase the heat, add the breadcrumbs and toss continuously in the chorizo oil until crisp and golden.  Drain and add to the chorizo.

Watercress, Chicory, Apple, Pomegranate and Hazelnut Salad

A refreshing clean-tasting salad.  Just by reading this, one can visualise how delicious this salad will taste, with lots of peppery watercress.

Serves 8

a handful of whole unblanched hazelnuts

2 bunches watercress

2 heads of red or white chicory, cut into wedges

4 medium dessert apples, such as Worcester Pearmain, Cox’s Orange Pippin or Egremont Russet

seeds from 1 small or ½  large pomegranate

a small bunch of chives, cut into 2.5cm lengths

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp cider vinegar

pinch of flaky sea salt

8 tbsp hazelnut oil or extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Arrange the hazelnuts on a baking tray in a single layer and toast the hazelnuts for 8-10 minutes in the oven.  Leave to cool. Rub off the skins and break the nuts into coarse pieces with a rolling pin or in a pestle and mortar.

Whisk the ingredients for the dressing in a large mixing bowl.

Remove the more fibrous stalks from the watercress. Separate the leaves of the chicory. Cut the apples into quarters, remove the core with a sharp knife and slice some into thin wedges and others into chunks.

Just before serving.

Gently toss the chicory wedges, watercress and apple in the dressing and season to taste. Transfer to a serving dish or individual serving plates. Sprinkle liberally with the crunchy toasted hazelnuts, a few pomegranate seeds and chives.  Scatter with chive flowers if available.

Chargrilled Fennel Wedges with Roast Red Peppers

Chargrilling sweetens the fennel deliciously. Add to Verdura Mista or this versatile combination. The fronds add a fresh liquorice taste and the flowers a touch of anise.

Serves 6

1-2 fennel bulbs

extra virgin olive oil

3 roast red peppers, peeled, deseeded and sliced

1 tsp fennel seeds, slightly crushed and toasted

lots of fresh fennel fronds, coarsely chopped

fennel flowers, optional

12-18 black Kalamata or Nicoise olives

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a char-grill or grill pan over a high heat.

Trim the fennel bulbs and cut into 6 wedges. Alternatively, slice the fennel very thinly, 3mm, from top to bottom.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cook the wedges or slices on the hot pan until golden and slightly caramelized on each side. Arrange on a platter interspersed with warm roasted red pepper slices.  Scatter some freshly roasted and slightly crushed fennel seeds over the top. Toss.  Sprinkle over the freshly chopped fennel fronds, a few fresh fennel flowers, if using, add some black olives, and serve as an accompaniment to a pan-grilled fish or pork chop, or just as a starter.

Pickled Red Onions

You’ll find yourself dipping into the jar of pickled onions regularly, to add to a salad, sandwich, or as an accompaniment to beef or fish burgers.

Makes 2 x 200g jars

225ml white wine vinegar

110g granulated sugar

pinch of salt

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick, broken

1 dried red chilli

450g red onions, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandolin

Put the vinegar, sugar, salt and spices in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to the boil. Put in one-third of the sliced onions and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until they turn pink and wilt. Lift out the cooked onions with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a sterilized jam jar with a non-reactive lid. Repeat with the rest of the onions, cooking them in two batches. Top up the jars with the hot vinegar, put on the lids and set aside to cool overnight. Once cold, store in the fridge.

One of the highlights of the summer season for me is the invitation to a friend’s Rose Tea Party. It’s a proper, deliciously old-fashioned afternoon tea in the dining room of a beautiful country house with starched linen tablecloths, lots of delicate China and an assortment of teapots. Flamboyant flower arrangements tumble out of family heirlooms and epergnes, and we all dress up in our summer frocks and linen blazers.
First, we gather in the drawing room for a glass of fizz laced with some super delicious elderflower cordial made by our host, it’s his summer specialty. We’re a motley assortment of eccentrics, me included, having fun catching up on each other’s lives. Eventually, we all amble through the charming old gardens admiring our hosts collection of roses, fastidiously gathered over many decades. Some are familiar like Albertine and Paul’s Himalayan Musk which romps with gay abandon over the wooden pergola. Each rose has its own story. Those that couldn’t be originally identified, now have a name connecting them to the place where they were discovered, perhaps rambling over an old ruin. Others are now rechristened with the name of the person who rescued it from an old ditch or a thicket of brambles.
There’s Derreen with Kerry connections and Patrica Cockburn named after the lovely lady who rescued it from obscurity.
There were cucumber sandwiches on generously buttered white bread with crusts removed, salad sandwiches too and egg mayo and chive, my absolute favourite. Scones of course, tiny little ones topped with softly whipped cream and jam. The pièce de résistance was an irresistible featherlight sponge cake, generously filled and topped with fresh summer strawberries and cream, scattered with deliciously scented rose petals.
Memories came flooding back of afternoon tea parties in the local rectory when we were children. We would dress in our Sunday best, me in one of my pretty smocked dresses with satin ribbons in my hair, the boys in their ‘long pants’ with freshly laundered shirts and tie and their tousled hair brushed into submission. We were warned to behave, to wait until seated at the big mahogany table and then there was a protocol. Only speak when you are spoken to, start with a slice or two of thinly sliced bread and butter from the plate nearest you, no grabbing or stretching, next a sandwich or two, then a scone or jam tartlet and eventually a slice of cake. I particularly remember a Victoria sponge sandwiched together with Granny Nicholson’s homemade raspberry jam and a moist and delicious coffee cake sandwiched together with coffee butter cream, then iced with a smooth glacé icing and decorated with walnut halves. When we couldn’t eat another bite, we were allowed to run out to play on the swing and see-saw, – is that even a thing anymore? We played tig, a chasing game, blind man’s buff, willie wag tail, 123 and giant steps…Oh my Goodness, I really am on a trip down memory lane!
An afternoon tea party is a wonderful way to entertain a few friends with or without their children even if you don’t have a collection of aromatic roses for them to admire.
Here are some of my favourite treats to enjoy.

Almond Tartlets with Raspberries or Loganberries and Cream

Save this recipe for these adorable little tartlets, they are a doddle to make. Raspberries are in season at present but other summer berries like loganberries, boysenberries, tayberries will be delicious or even a few slices of peach or nectarine.

Serves 12

Makes 24 tartlets

110g butter

110g caster sugar

110g ground almonds

Filling

fresh raspberries or loganberries

300ml whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Garnish

little sprigs of sweet cicely, mint or lemon balm

For this recipe, choose two trays of round bottomed, rather than deep tartlet tins.

Cream the butter well and then just stir in the sugar and ground almonds. (Don’t over beat or the oil will come out of the ground almonds as it cooks.) Put a teaspoon of the mixture into 24 small patty tins.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.  The tartlets will be too soft to turn out immediately, so cool in tins for about 5 minutes before carefully sliding out of the tins.  Do not allow it to set hard before removing or the butter will solidify, and they will stick to the tins. Cool on a wire rack.  If this happens pop the tins back into the oven for a few minutes so the butter melts, then they will come out easily. 

Just before serving, arrange whole raspberries or loganberries on the base.  Glaze with redcurrant jelly. Decorate with tiny rosettes of cream. We love to garnish them with sweet cicely or tiny lemon balm or mint leaves.

Redcurrant Glaze (optional)

This shiny glaze gives a professional finish and a bittersweet flavour to the tartlets.

The quantities given above make a generous 300ml of glaze.

350g redcurrant jelly

1 tbsp water approx.

Melt the redcurrant jelly with the water in a small stainless-steel saucepan for 1-2 minutes, stirring gently. Do not whisk or it will become cloudy.  Store any leftover glaze in an airtight jar and reheat gently to melt it before use.

Éclairs with lots of riffs

It’s brilliant to be able to make a batch of choux pastry, one can do so many shapes and make sweet and savoury variations. I like to keep them small for afternoon tea, so one can enjoy several!

Makes 20/Serves 10

Choux Pastry

75g strong flour (Baker’s)

small pinch of salt

110ml water

50g butter, cut into 1cm cubes

2-3 eggs depending on size (free range if possible)

Chocolate or Coffee Glacé Icing

Crème Chantilly

300ml whipped cream

½ -1 tbsp icing sugar

2-3 drops pure vanilla extract

parchment paper

9mm round éclair piping nozzle

Make the choux pastry in the usual way.

Sieve the flour with the salt into a bowl.  Heat the water and butter in a high-sided saucepan until the butter is melted. Bring to a fast rolling boil, remove from the heat.  (Note: Prolonged boiling evaporates the water and changes the proportions of the dough).  Immediately the pan is taken from the heat, add all the flour at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for a few seconds until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan to form a ball. Put the saucepan back on a low heat and stir for 30 seconds – 1 minute or until the mixture starts to furr the bottom of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and cool for a few seconds.

Meanwhile, break one egg into a bowl, whisk and set aside.  Add the remaining eggs into the dough, one by one with a wooden spoon, beating thoroughly after each addition.  Make sure the dough returns to the same texture each time before you add another egg. When it will no longer form a ball in the centre of the saucepan, add the beaten egg little by little. Use just enough to make a mixture that is very shiny and just drops reluctantly from the spoon in a sheet. 

The choux pastry may be used immediately or kept covered and refrigerated for several hours.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 7.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with a few drops of cold water.  Fill the choux pastry into a piping bag with the round éclair nozzle.  Pipe the dough into strips of your choice (7.5-10cm), 3.5cm apart to allow for expansion. 

Bake immediately in the preheated oven, for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to 200°C/Gas Mark 6, for a further 15-20 minutes or until they are crisp and golden. Rest the tray on the opened oven door.  Make a little hole in the side of each éclair to allow the steam to escape. Return to the oven and bake for approx. 5 minutes more – they should be very crisp. 

Remove to a wire rack.

Meanwhile make the chosen glacé icing or icings (see recipe). 

Sweeten the whipped cream to taste with icing sugar and a dash of vanilla extract, put into a piping bag with a small nozzle.  As soon as the éclairs are cold, fill with chantilly cream through the hole where the steam escaped, (alternatively, split lengthways and fill). 

Dip the tops in the icing and arrange on a wire rack over a tray to catch the drips.  Éclairs are best served within 1 or 2 hours of being made.

Note: If the icing is too thick, add a little warm water, it should be a thick coating consistency.

Delicious as they are but one can have fun with roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped pistachios, walnuts or pecans. I sometimes add a little crushed cardamom to the coffee icing, ¼ teaspoon is enough for once the recipe.

Dark Chocolate Glacé Icing

110g caster sugar

75g butter

4 tbsp water

175g icing sugar, sieved

50g cocoa powder, sieved

In a saucepan, stir the caster sugar, butter and water over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, and the butter is melted. Bring just to the boil, then draw off the heat and pour at once into the sifted ingredients in a bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and glossy. It will thicken as it cools but thin with warm water as required.

Coffee Glacé Icing

scant 1 tbsp coffee essence

225g icing sugar, sieved

2 tbsp boiling water approx.

Add the coffee essence to the sieved icing sugar in a bowl and enough boiling water to make an icing the consistency of thick cream.

My favourite Coffee Cake

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

Serves 10-12

225g soft butter

225g caster sugar

4 organic eggs

scant 2 tbsp Camp coffee essence

225g plain white flour, preferably unbleached

1 tsp baking powder

Coffee Butter Cream (enough for crumb coat, filling and decoration)

150g butter

330g icing sugar, sieved

3–6 tsp Camp coffee essence

Coffee Glacé Icing

450g icing sugar

scant 2 tbsp Camp coffee essence

about 3-4 tbsp boiling water

To Decorate

toasted hazelnuts, walnut halves or chocolate-covered coffee beans

2 x 20cm round sandwich tins

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

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Beat the soft butter with a wooden spoon or an electric hand mixer, add the caster sugar and beat until pale in colour and light in texture. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add to the mixture, bit by bit, beating well between each addition, finally add in the coffee essence and mix thoroughly.

Sieve the flour with the baking powder and fold (do not beat) gently into the cake mixture.

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

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

To make the coffee icing, sieve the icing sugar into a bowl. Add coffee essence and enough boiling water, 3-4 tablespoons approx., to make the consistency of a thick cream.

When cold, sandwich the bases of the cakes together with the coffee butter cream. Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the sides and over the top of the cake. This is called crumb coating.

Pour the thickish glacé icing directly onto the centre of the cake and allow it to flow slowly over the top and sides of the cake. Use a palette knife dipped in boiling water if necessary. Decorate with the toasted hazelnuts, walnut halves or chocolate-covered coffee beans. 

Alternatively make extra coffee butter cream, ice the top with coffee icing then decorate with rosettes of coffee butter cream and toasted or caramelized hazelnuts, walnut halves or chocolate coffee beans.