The Magazine For Lovers Of Good Food

Ireland
The magazine for lovers of good food
1
Nominate
your star chef
oftheYear2014
issue 2
full details page 6
Over 100 delicious recipes
E3.80 £3.20
Having discovered his passion for food over 20 years ago, Shane Smith has
developed an affinity to the food industry across Ireland and Scotland with
YesChef Ireland and Scotland.
Most recently, Shane has been invited to join the judging panel at IFEX
2014 - Northern Ireland’s biggest hospitality and catering biennial event by Salon Culinaire Director, Sean Owens.
The Salon Culinaire is central to the show and includes the ChefSkills
Theatre and La Parade des Chefs. This is the platform where many of
Northern Ireland’s most notable chefs were first recognised within the
industry.
Shane will be on the judging panel for the much sought-after ‘IFEX Chef
of the Year 2014’ title (as well as other competition categories) alongside
well-known names within the industry, such as Jack Duffy (a member of
the Panel of Chefs of Ireland), Gabriel McSharry (an accredited judge with
the World Association of Cooks Societies) and chefs Barry Smyth, Emmett
McCourt and Simon Dougan.
2
An essential show for anyone within the food industry, IFEX 2014 runs from
March 11-13 at the King’s Hall Complex, Belfast.
a gourmet guide
for lovers of good food
Welcome to the latest issue of YesChef Ireland, the foodie magazine for lovers of good
food, showcasing some of the finest chefs Ireland has to offer…
It’s issue two and here in the YesChef office we are a
happy bunch, thanks to sales and support from across
the island, and some super chefs with some super
recipes.
We are delighted that some of our chefs from issue one,
along with a number we featured in our original ‘Cook
for Ulster’ issues, will be joining us in YesChef Ireland.
This will be published on a quarterly basis so please
keep an eye out on the newsstands for the next issue,
out for June.
11 Magna Drive, Magna Business Park,
Citywest, Dublin 24, Ireland.
t: +353 (0)1 4691455
f: +353 (0)1 4691499
e: info@odaios-foods.com
www.odaios.com
a journey in search of culinary excellence
In this issue, suppliers such as Ballymaloe and Solaris
Tea will be introducing you to new and exciting ways to
create tasty recipes from their products, which could be
something as simple as adding an extra ingredient to a
homemade burger. Our chef consultant Bob McDonald
created a simple burger and gave it the wow factor
by using a ciabatta burger bun, some rocket, mustard
mayo, gherkin and the secret ingredient, Ballymaloe
Country Relish - definitely worth a try!
There are so many talented artisan producers
across the land today (just think of Ditty’s Bakery in
Castledawson). All of them distribute country-wide so
keep an eye out and make your life easier by using their
efforts to enhance any recipe.
Resident chef Stevie Higginson has created some
special, but simple, dishes with Broighter Gold rapeseed
oils and Pukara olive oils, and he and Ali, from Indian
restaurant, Safa, in Belfast have cooked up some
beautiful dishes with Tynedale Goat Kid, a product that
not a lot of us are familiar with but which is enjoying
increased popularity. Goat actually accounts for up to
70% of red meat consumed across the globe. Not a
lot of people know that! Some say it’s like a mild lamb,
others say it’s in the venison family. I say get out there
and try it. Foodies will love it - something new to add to
your culinary repertoire.
I would also like to ask for your help. We are looking for
a YesChef ‘Chef of the Year’ with our new competition,
where the overall winner will get a fabulous Tag Heuer
timepiece valued at £1,000. See page 6 for further
details.
On a final note, I would like to congratulate two
great chefs and two great friends of YesChef, Emmett
McCourt and Noel McMeel. Both of them recently
launched cook books, and we wish every success to
both of them. Two wonderful publications.
Happy cooking,
3
contents
Ireland
Editor
4
Diane Day
Editorial
Diane Day, Nicci Smith, Barbara Collins
Shane Smith
Advertising Sales
Joanne Cameron
Jane Watt
Chef/Food Stylists
Bob McDonald
Stevie Higginson
Design
awards
6 … the YesChef ‘Chef of the Year
Awards 2014’
Nominate your favourite chef,
restaurant or front-of-house
manager to be in with the chance
to win a luxury night for two at our
gala awards dinner in Belfast.
chef profiles
8 … Darren Iddon
Queens Quay Social, L’Derry
16 … Conor Woods
The Bay Tree, Carlingford
28 … Stevie Higginson
Square Bistro, Lisburn
42 … Stephane Le Sourne
Ghan House, Carlingford
50 … Kevin Pyke
Pyke ‘n’ Pommes, L’Derry
56 … Paul Dalrympole
Sleepy Hollow, Newtownabbey
60 … Gordon McGladdery
Bushmills Inn, Bushmills
64 … Karl Banks
The Hillside, Hillsborough
68 … Terence Dalrympole
Billy Andy’s, Larne
food focus
78 … Richard Luckey
Brabazon, Tankardstown
26 … Quintessential Wines
Tasting notes from Seamus Daly
82 … Martin Hernandez
Restaurant Sage, Letterkenny
33 … Flogas
Cooking with gas - the fast food
choice
88 … Ali Askir
Safa, Belfast
92 … Marty Getty
The Classic Winebar, Limavady
104 … Christopher Molloy
The Lemon Tree, Letterkenny
108 … John McNally
Sally McNally’s, Portadown
114 … Stephen Hope
Deli on the Green, Dungannon
118 … Paul Dobson
Cutters Wharf, Belfast
122 … Niall Gorham
Oysters Restaurant, Strabane
130 … Bob McDonald
The Old Inn, Crawfordsburn
138 … Killian Ó Donohoe
Station House Hotel, Kilmessan
142 … Joe Flaherty
Brasserie on the Corner, Galway city
35 … Ballymaloe
Four generations in Irish food
46 … Solaris Tea
Order your own personalised tea
48 … Jen’s Gourmet Foods
Premium oils and vinegars from Oz
52 ... Mauds ice cream
Mad about Mauds
54 ... Broighter Gold rapeseed oil
Liquid gold from Limavady
72 … Johnson’s coffee
A journey of discovery
96 … Ditty’s Home Bakery
Famous all over Ireland – and beyond
112 … The Bramley Apple
Craft ciders from the orchard county
126 … Annaghmore Mushrooms
The new super food
136 … Gurman’s Tea & Coffee World
A world of flavour
Peter Robinson ... thinkni@aol.com
chef’s secrets
Printer
GPS, Belfast
Top Irish chefs create culinary treats
using ingredients from some of
YesChef’s favourite suppliers…
Photography
All photography by Shane Smith,
with the exception of
17 … Odaios Foods
Conor Woods cooks with his supplier
of choice
Brasserie On The Corner - Jonathan Curran
Publisher
NI Media Limited
25 … Valrhona
Monto Mansour conjures up some
chocolate heaven
35 … Gourmet Classic
Stevie Higginson on the beauty of
balsamic glazes
33a Railway Street
Lisburn BT28 1XP
Northern Ireland
Stevie Higginson,
resident chef and food stylist
to YesChef
Tel: 028 9268 8577
Email: info@yeschef.ie
www.yeschef.ie
Managing Director
100 … Tyndale Goat Kid
Ali Askir and Stevie Higginson
introduce you to some great goat
dishes
NI Media Limited
Shane Smith
113 … Connoisseur’s Choice
John McNally reveals how to cook the
perfect steak
134 … Erin Grove
Bob McDonald enjoys a jamming
session
Whilst NI Media takes every care to ensure
that all the information printed in YesChef
is accurate, please be advised that recipes
are supplied from outside sources and we
Master chef Bob McDonald,
consultant chef and food
stylist to YesChef
cannot be held responsible or liable for any
errors or omissions. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Reproduction of whole or any part of this
publication is strictly prohibited without the
prior written consent of the publisher.
5
2014
oftheYear
6
By Shane Smith
What an extraordinary evening we had back in May 2013
when we held our first ‘YesChef Share Your Dinner’ in the
august surroundings of the Belfast Harbour Commissioner’s
Office.
We partnered with a list of sponsors that included Hannan
Meats, Get Fresh, Crossgar Food Services, United Wines, James
Nicholson Wine Merchant, Odaios Foods, Ditty’s Home Bakery
and Fivemiletown Creamery - to mention just a few – and all
in the name of Northern Ireland charity, SAM (The Struggle
Against Muscular Dystrophy).
The Belfast Commissioners Building, so generously given to help our
cause. Many thanks to Roy Adair and all at Belfast Port.
Consultant chef, Sean Owns kindly acted as our auctioneer
after the dinner and what a job he did, raising over £4,000
in a matter of minutes and donating his own services along
with those of fellow chef Gary Gamble to cook for some lucky
diners in their own home!
2014 will see the event evolve into something even bigger and
better, when we aim to host a gala dinner to beat all dinners
and launch the latest addition to YesChef - the YesChef ‘Chef
of the Year 2014’.
As you will see from the opposite page, we have teamed up
with Shannon’s Jewellers in Lisburn, with a prize of a super
chic Tag Heuer watch to present to the winner, as well as
many other exciting awards on the night.
Justin Galea, executive chef Turnberry Luxury Resort Scotland who
awarded two of the students a stage in his kitchen.
We are inviting readers, chefs, owners and managers to
nominate as many chefs as they wish for the title YesChef
‘Chef of the Year 2014’. Simply follow the instructions on the
opposite page and let’s get the ball rolling!
Full details of the event will be announced early
summer and the dinner and awards
ceremony will be held in October/
November 2014. Our nominated charity
will be SAM and we hope to raise as
much as last year, and more again.
Simon Dougan (The Yellow Door), Alex Henderson (Belfast Metropolitan
Collage), Tracy McCausland (SAM founder) and Shane Smith, YesChef and
event organiser.
Tickets will go on sale in June but,
if the success of last year’s dinner
is anything to go by, demand will
be high, so to secure your tickets
in advance, call Joanne on 028
(048 from RoI) 92 688 577 or email
chefoftheyear@yeschef.ie
Stevie and Christina Higginson, Square Bistro, Lisburn.
awards
Do you know a chef who’s cooking up a storm? An innovative restaurant which deserves more recognition? A front-ofhouse manager who excels at customer service?
YesChef Ireland is looking for nominations from across Ireland and Northern Ireland to enter into our exciting new annual
awards competition, which aims to recognise and celebrate the very finest talent in a variety of categories.
Do you have a favourite chef in your town or city, maybe a special restaurant in Cork, Belfast, Derry or Dublin?
Please nominate your favourite chef, restaurant or front-of-house manager and send us his/her details –restaurant
telephone number, address, email, website and style of cuisine.
And don’t forget your own details, there will be a foodie prize up for grabs too! A luxury night in Belfast with two tickets to
the awards dinner later in 2014 (date TBA).
Nominee’s Name:
Restaurant:
Your Name:
(state whether chef or front-of-house manager)
Address:
Type of cuisine:
Address:
Post code:
Tel:
Post code:
Email:
Tel:
Email:
Web site:
By post to:
YesChef Chef of The Year
NI Media Limited
33a Railway Street
Lisburn BT28 1XP
Northern Ireland
Please email all details to:
chefoftheyear@yeschef.ie
We look forward to hearing from you,
Kind regards,
The YesChef team
This competition is open to every chef across Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Your nominee dose NOT necessarily have to have previously been featured in
YesChef or Cook for Ulster YesChef. Rules will be uploaded to our website over
the coming weeks. Judges decision is final. No cash alternative.
First prize valued at £1,800 includes a
Tag Heuer watch to the value of £1,000
and a free feature in YesChef valued at
over £800.
Details of additional awards categories
to be announced soon. Visit our new
website www.yeschef.ie for more details
(coming soon).
7
queens quay social
by darren iddon
24 Queens Quay, L’Derry BT48 7AS
t: 028 7126 3742 e: info@queensquaysocial.com
www.queensquaysocial.com
8
DARREN IDDON
ZSOLT DIKTER
local beets, goats’ curd emulsion
with goats’ cheese lollipops &
pomegranate
For the beetroots
2 purple beetroots
2 yellow beetroots
2 candy beetroots
2 stripe beetroots
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
sachet d’épices
50g coarse salt
For the goats’ curd
100g goats’ curd
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp honey
fresh thyme leaves
For the lollipops
150g goats’ cheese
1-2 tbsp milk
salt & pepper
beetroot powder (bought)
seeds of I pomegranate
fresh mint leaves
Just like the iconic city in which it
is located, Queens Quay Social has
been buzzing since opening during
Derry-Londonderry’s City of Culture
2013…
Executive chef and part owner,
Darren Iddon’s aim was to create a
contemporary restaurant offering
what he terms ‘deformalised’ dining
for everyday affairs and special
occasions’.
“It’s the city’s first all day dining
concept,” says Darren. “Based around
the idea of a social gathering, we
provide relaxed and flexible dining,
where guests are welcome to drift
in throughout the day or evening for
a simple cocktail, lunch or dinner or
relax at the Social Raw Bar.”
Head Chef Zsolt Dikter has worked
with Darren in the past and together
the pair are really pushing the
boundaries. ‘Quirky’ would be a good
description of the kind of cooking
going on at the Social and it’s also
very standard driven.
Chef’ by the Restaurant Association of
Ireland.
“We won’t ever compromise on
quality but we also offer some
amazing value for money, such as our
pre-theatre three course dinner with
wine, available every Wednesday from
4-8pm at only £22,” says Darren.
Add to that impressive CV spells at the
Capella luxury hotel group, working in
Singapore and Mexico, and Raithwaite
Hall luxury hotel in Whitby, and Derry
diners will find it fortunate that when
the opportunity arose to establish
a brand new style of eaterie in the
maiden city he jumped at the chance.
Committed to his craft, or as he puts
it, ‘a slave to the stove’, Darren has
found inspiration in his cooking from
many sources.
He comes from a family of chefs in
Liverpool, trained in Devon, gained
experience in Michelin starred
restaurants in Europe, worked
under Peter X Kelly, at his renowned
Hudson River restaurant Xaviers and
Restaurant X in New York, came to
Ireland to chef at Deanes Restaurant
in Belfast and later at the five star
Lough Eske Castle. While there, he
won a Gold medal in the Taste of
Ireland Awards and was voted ‘Best
With VIP visitors in the city during its
year of culture already making a bee
line for the Social, this is definitely one
to watch…
Deformalised
dining for everyday
affairs and special
occasions.
Beetroots
Preheat the oven to 190°c.
Wash, gently scrub and clean all the beetroots; do not
peel them. Place the yellow beets in a roasting dish,
coat with the oil and add the sachet d’épices, thyme
and rosemary. Cover with foil and bake until the beets
are tender. Meanwhile, spread the salt out on a baking
tray and place the remaining beetroots on top, cover
with foil and roast until they are tender. When all the
beetroots are cool enough to handle, carefully peel
them, and cut into shapes for serving later. Store them
in individual containers (so their colours won’t run into
each other) with extra virgin olive oil and reserve.
Goats’ curd
Heat the milk gently in a saucepan. Put the goats’
curd in a food processor, add the milk and blend until
smooth. Then blend in the honey and the thyme;
season well with salt and pepper. Keep warm until
ready to use.
Lollipops
Remove the rind from the goats’ cheese and crumble
into a bowl. Add a little milk if necessary to loosen the
consistency. Carefully roll the cheese into lollipop-sized
balls and refrigerate until set. Dust the lollipops with
beetroot powder.
A sachet d’épices is a small muslin sack containing herbs
and spices. We make ours using juniper berries, star
anise, cloves, cinnamon stock and pink peppercorns.
9
chocolate & peppermint cheesecake,
vanilla salted caramel & caramelised
hazelnuts
10
pigeon breast
sous vide,
confit tempura,
‘yakatori’
medjool dates,
sprouts &
beetroot onion
For the cheesecake
110ml double cream
175g mascarpone cheese
200g milk chocolate, broken
50g caster sugar
2 tsp peppermint extract
For the vanilla salt caramel
100g caster sugar
2 tbsp water
100g double cream
200ml milk
pinch of vanilla salt (if not available, add a pinch of sea
salt & 2 tsp vanilla extract)
5g lecithin
For the brittle
25g butter
50g caster sugar
pinch of salt
For the caramelised hazelnuts
100g hazelnuts
150g sugar
3 tbsp water
Cheesecake
Heat the cream and mascarpone cheese in a saucepan
over medium heat. In another bowl, melt the chocolate
over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the
cream mixture to the chocolate and then stir in the
peppermint and caster sugar. Whisk until smooth and
then pour into individual moulds and transfer to the
freezer to set.
Caramel
Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium
heat, then bring to the boil. Allow to boil without
stirring and when the caramel reaches a golden amber
colour, remove from the heat, whisk in the cream
and vanilla salt and gradually add the milk. Cool the
caramel and then add the lecithin.
Brittle
Grease a non-stick baking sheet. Melt the caster sugar
in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the
butter and allow to cook until it turns into a goldenbrown caramel. Pour onto the baking sheet, allow to
cool and then break into shards.
Caramelised hazelnuts
Dissolve the sugar and water in a saucepan over
medium heat. Increase the heat, boil until golden and
then add the hazelnuts. Remove them with a slotted
spoon and separate into individual caramelised nuts.
To serve
Serve as illustrated. We like to complement this dessert
with some natural yogurt on the serving plate topped
with an unmoulded cheesecake and surrounded with
caramel sauce, caramelised hazelnuts and the fresh
mint leaves.
11
pbj
For the peanut butter parfait
220g peanut butter
225g fresh cream
1 gelatine leaf, softened in cold water
90g caster sugar
3 eggs
12
venison, smoked
chocolate,
red cabbage,
cherry gel,
red cabbage
ketchup,
rutabaga, crisp
sage, salsfy &
onion ash
For the banana sorbet
4 bananas
190g sugar
1½ tbsp lemon juice
370ml water
pinch of salt
For the banana jelly
180g sugar
300g water
20g gelatine powder
1 banana
1 lemon
Peanut butter parfait
Beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl with
an electric mixer until pale and thick. Add the cream
and whisk well, then add the softened gelatine leaf and
peanut butter. When well combined, pour the mixture
into ramekin dishes and transfer to the fridge to set.
Banana sorbet
Purée the bananas in a food processor with the lemon
juice until smooth. Heat together the water, sugar and
salt and bring to the boil for 5 minutes to make a syrup.
Pour the syrup over the bananas and blend again, then
pour into an ice cream maker and churn, according to
instructions. Alternatively, pour into a plastic container
and freeze, beating every hour or so to make a smooth
sorbet.
Banana jelly
Soak the powdered gelatine in a few tablespoons of the
water in a small bowl until sponge-like. Place the sugar
and water in a saucepan and warm over medium heat
to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the gelatine. Blend the
banana and lemon juice in a food processor to make
a smooth purée and pour this onto the sugary water,
mixing well. Pour the jelly into a mould and transfer to
a refrigerator to set.
Serve as illustrated with chocolate sauce and sliced
banana.
13
14
miso halibut, oxtail spring roll,
smoked aubergine with courgette &
saki sea vegetables
For the halibut
4 x 150g thick halibut fillets, skins on & pin boned
3 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp olive oil
For the oxtail spring roll
1 kg oxtail
salt & pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
750ml red wine
1 ltr beef stock
large spring roll wrappers
1 egg white, beaten
oil for frying
For the smoked aubergine
1 large aubergine
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
½ tsp smoking powder (if not available, use smoked salt)
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Halibut
Lay the fillets, skin side down, on a plate and brush the
flesh with a quarter of the miso paste. Cover the plate
with cling film and transfer to the fridge, continuing
to brush with the remaining miso while the fish is
marinating for 24 hours. When ready to serve, heat a
frying pan until medium hot and add the oil. Cook the
halibut, skin side down, over a medium heat for 3-4
minutes until the flesh has turned opaque. Flip over and
cook for another minute, remove from heat and keep
warm.
Oxtail spring roll
Heat a large oven-proof casserole pot over medium
heat and fry the vegetables until tender, add the
seasoned oxtail and brown all over. Pour in the red wine
and boil until well reduced. Then add the beef stock,
season well, cover with a lid or foil and braise at a low
temperature in an oven at 160°c for 3 hours. Allow to
cool slightly, then remove the oxtails and shred the
meat from the bones. Strain half of the liquor into a
saucepan and boil over high heat until reduced to a
sauce consistency. Moisten the oxtail meat with some
of the sauce in a bowl and season well.
Put a wrapper on a board and cut in four, place a
heaped teaspoon of oxtail onto one side of each
square, brushing the sides with the egg white as you
go. Fold over the end, then the two sides and roll up to
make a spring roll. Make the rest the same way, cover
and chill until needed. Heat the oil in a frying pan and
shallow fry the rolls in batches until crisp and golden.
Drain on kitchen paper. Smoked aubergine
Cut the aubergine in half lengthways. Lightly score the
flesh with a diamond pattern and rub in the garlic and
thyme. Place the two aubergine halves on a baking
sheet and bake in a low oven at 90°c until the flesh
comes away from the skin. Brush off the thyme and
garlic, scoop the soft flesh into a sieve over a bowl and
leave for an hour to drain off any excess liquid. Place
the flesh in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Add the oil and smoking powder or smoked salt, check
seasoning and keep warm. To serve
Spoon a quenelle of aubergine purée into a bowl along
with the halibut (skin side up) and the oxtail rolls, then
drizzle with the oxtail sauce. At the restaurant, we also
serve this dish with sea vegetables and a creamy foam
made by whisking together chicken stock, milk, lemon
juice and lecithin.
15
11 Mag
Citywe
t: +353
f: +353
e: info@
www.o
the bay tree restaurant
Belvedere House B&B, Newry Street, Carlingford, Co Louth
t: 042 9383848 e: info@belvederehouse.ie
www.belvederehouse.ie
CONOR WOODS
a journ
pan fried foie gras with apple purée,
light soy jelly & toasted brioche
16
We like to use Castaing foie gras. When we were at the
brilliant Odaios Tented Food Exhibition 2013 in Fitzwilliam
Square in Dublin 2, we met the lads from Castaing cooking
their foie gras from frozen. It was simple and delicious –
and I ate far more than my fair share!
We put it on the Bay Tree menu as there is simply no
wastage and it’s a great product. As foie gras is very
rich, we wanted to use something light and flavourful to
complement it.
4 Castaing foie gras escalopes
salt & pepper
3 Granny Smith apples
1-2 tbsp caster sugar
25ml water
300ml chicken stock
200ml light soy sauce
1 gelatine leaf
brioche bread
L-R: Girts (Sean Murphy) Sakvarne, Conor Woods, Mattew Coburn
A small, family-run establishment
in the medieval town of Carlingford,
the multi-award-winning Bay Tree
Restaurant enjoys a well-earned
reputation for excellent food at a
reasonable price…
“We’re very proud to be recognised by
Michelin, and in the other awards, but
we also recognise that a restaurant
is only as good as its last dinner and
it’s our loyal customers we care about
most,” says Conor.
Chef owner Conor Woods runs The Bay
Tree Restaurant with his partner Kristina
Sakvarne. The business includes a B&B
with seven elegant and individually
themed rooms and some great deals
available on food and accommodation.
“At the Bay Tree, we like to keep our
food simple and modern, often taking
classic dishes and putting an Irish spin
on them, for instance with our spiced
duck breast with roasted beetroot,
parsnip purée and port jus or our trio of
Old Spot pig featuring fillet, three-hour
braised cheek and crispy pork belly with
crackling, meat juices and apple sauce.
Attention to detail is key to the couple’s
success, as proven by a plethora of
awards which have just been added
to with the restaurant’s inclusion in
the Michelin Guide 2014, after being
awarded two prestigious Chef Knives
and Forks. In the Restaurant Association
of Ireland’s Irish Restaurant Awards, it
was also nominated ‘Best Restaurant
Louth’ in 2010 and 2011, winning the
award outright in 2012 and 2013.
“We like to change our menus, because
it keeps us at our best, but we also
promote some Irish classics like top
quality fish and chunky chips as a
permanent fixture.
“Above all we just like to cook good,
healthy, real food and use quality
suppliers such as Odaios Foods, who
provide us with a variety of top class
produce. Kristina grows salad leaves,
herbs and vegetables in our gardens
and in the summer we are selfsufficient.”
Centrally located on the main street of
Carlingford, with a stylish frontage and
an elegant interior, The Bay Tree has
a 40 seat restaurant and two private
rooms (one holding up to 30 people and
the other up to 15), with a group menu
available and all occasions catered for.
We often take
classic dishes
and put an Irish
spin on them.
Peel, core and slice the apples (reserve the peelings),
then put in a saucepan with the water and sugar and
cook over medium heat until soft. Transfer to a food
processor and blend until puréed. Put the reserved
A4 Advert opt2.indd 1
apple peelings in a plastic bag in the freezer for an
hour and then purée them in a food processor to make
a green sauce for later. Soak the gelatine leaf in cold
water to soften. Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan
over high heat and boil to reduce to 200ml; reduce the
heat and add the soy sauce. Remove the gelatine leaf
from the water and squeeze to drain; whisk it into the
chicken stock, then pour into a container and transfer
to the fridge to set for three hours.
Season the foie gras escalopes and fry in a sauté
pan over medium to high heat, until they are richly
browned, for about one minute on each side.
Serve as illustrated with slices of warm, toasted brioche.
17
confit pork belly, pearl barley risotto,
black pudding bon bons, apple
sauce & crackling
18
seared scallops with cauliflower
purée, crispy capers & golden
sultanas
We like to cook this at the restaurant as it is a great
seasonal dish when cauliflower is in season. The
sweetness of the sultana purée works well with the
saltiness of the capers.
We source Broighter Gold rapeseed oil from Odaios
Foods and love using it to sear or marinate meats, for
vinaigrettes or to serve with bread.
12 large scallops, corals removed
1 medium size cauliflower, cut into florets
milk, to cover
salt & pepper
200g butter, diced
100g golden sultanas
100ml water
100g baby capers, drained
2 tbsp Broighter Gold rapeseed oil
1 baby gem lettuce
Place the cauliflower in a saucepan and barely
cover with milk. Simmer over medium heat until the
cauliflower is tender. Remove the cauliflower from the
milk and purée it with the butter in a food processor,
adding a little of the milk to correct the consistency if
necessary. Season well and keep warm.
Put the sultanas in a saucepan and add the water.
Simmer over medium heat until the sultanas are soft
and have plumped up. Transfer to a food processor and
blend to a fine purée. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan,
add the capers and fry until crispy.
Drizzle the remaining oil over the scallops and season
well. Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot and
sear the scallops for 1-2 minutes on both sides until
caramelised.
Serve as illustrated.
We source our pork from Kettyle Irish Foods through
Odaios Foods and have had this pork dish on the menu in
various ways since we opened, as it is hugely popular. We
took it off once for a change, but our regulars gave out so
much that we had to put it back on!
1 pork belly, skin on
salt & pepper
2 ltr duck fat, melted
300g black pudding
2 tbsp flour, for dredging
salt & pepper
2 eggs, beaten
150g panko breadcrumbs
oil for deep frying
300g pearl barley, soaked
1 ltr good chicken stock
1 tbsp butter
bouquet garni
apple sauce
Pork belly
Trim the pork belly and season well with salt and pepper.
Lay the pork in a roasting tin and pour over the duck fat.
Cover the tin with foil, then cook in an oven, preheated
to 150c°, for 4-5 hours until very tender. Remove from
the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Remove the pork from the fat and lay it in a tin, lined
with greaseproof paper. Place another tin on top, weigh
it down with a couple of cans and leave in the fridge for
at least 6 hours to press. Cut into portions and when
ready to serve, remove the skins and place them on a
baking sheet in a hot oven to make the crackling. Fry
the pork belly pieces in an oven-proof frying pan for 4
minutes on either side, then transfer to the oven for 8
minutes.
Black pudding bon bons Cut the black pudding into pieces and pulse in a food
processor until crumb-like. Roll the crumb mixture
tightly into bon bon-sized balls and dredge them in the
seasoned flour. Then dip them in the beaten eggs and
toss them in the panko until crumbed all over. Fry the
bon bons in the deep fat fryer at 160°c for 3-4 minutes
until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and keep
warm.
Pearl barley risotto
Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan over medium
heat and add the pearl barley and the bouquet garni.
Cook until the stock is absorbed and the barley is
tender. Remove the bouquet garni, stir in the butter and
season well.
Serve as illustrated with homemade apple sauce.
19
11 Magna Drive, Magna Business Park,
Citywest, Dublin 24, Ireland.
t: +353 (0)1 4691455
f: +353 (0)1 4691499
e: info@odaios-foods.com
www.odaios.com
a journey in search of culinary excellence
pan fried duck breasts, fondant
potatoes, spinach & roasted beetroot
We source whole Cherry Valley ducks from Odaios Foods
and use the livers for duck liver parfait and the legs for
A4 Advert opt2.indd
the 1duck confit dish in our midweek menu. The breasts
are used in our à la carte menu and we roast the carcass
to make stock. I love the fact that every bit of the bird
gets used.
20
Kristina grew beautiful beetroot this year, so I had to put
that on the menu too.
4 duck breasts, trimmed
240ml port
250ml chicken stock
4 beetroots, unpeeled, washed & trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
4 potatoes, peeled & cut into barrel shapes
100g butter
1 ltr duck stock (if not available use good chicken stock)
1 bag baby spinach, washed
freshly grated nutmeg
Beetroot
Place a layer of foil on a baking tray and then top with
the beetroot. Sprinkle with the oil and season well. Seal
the foil around the beetroot and roast in the oven at
160°c for about 2 hours.
21
09/07/2013 17:23:46
Potato fondant
Heat the butter over a medium heat in a saucepan and
add the potatoes. Fry until they are golden brown all
over and then pour in the stock and season well. Cover
with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer the potatoes
until tender. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Duck breasts
Score the skin on the duck and season well. Place the
breasts, skin side down, in a dry frying pan and fry for
5-7 minutes until golden brown. Turn and seal for a
minute, then transfer to a roasting tray and bake until
cooked to your liking. Allow to rest.
Make a port jus by draining away the fat from the
pan and adding the port, scraping to de-glaze with a
wooden spoon. Reduce the port down to a syrup, add
the chicken stock and reduce again to get the desired
consistency.
Serve as illustrated with spinach which has been sautéed
in butter and a grating of nutmeg for spice. valrhona ivoire white cheesecake
mousse dome with kirsch macerated
cherries
At the restaurant we have a very small team in the
kitchen, so we have to devise desserts that can be served
quickly. They also have to be full of flavour and this is why
we like to use Valrhona chocolate. It never fails to deliver.
500g Valrhona Kalingo, 65% dark
400g Valrhona Ivoire, 35% white
370ml double cream, whipped until thick
300g cream cheese
100g caster sugar
black cherries in kirsch
175g granola, toasted
100g butter, melted
Melt the Kalingo dark chocolate in a bowl over a
saucepan of simmering water. Using a pastry brush,
brush the insides of four dome moulds with the melted
chocolate and place in the fridge to set. Repeat this
process three more times to create a thick chocolate
dome shape, which will contain the mousse.
Put the cream cheese and sugar into a bowl and beat
with a hand held mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in
melted Ivoire white chocolate until combined and then
gently fold in the whipped double cream to create a
light mousse. Fill a piping bag with the mousse. Place
three cherries in each of the unmoulded chocolate
domes and pipe the mousse on top, leaving space for
the base. Mix the granola with the melted butter in a
bowl and sprinkle on top, to form the base of the dome
when it is unmoulded. Some dark melted chocolate
could be used to seal the granola base to the side of
the dome if there are any gaps. Transfer the moulds to
the fridge to set.
To serve, very carefully unmould the domes and serve as
illustrated. jivara lactée, mango & jasmin tea mousse
60g mango purée
200g Valrhona Jivara (40% milk)
300g softly whipped cream
1 gelatine sheet
30g jasmin tea
22
valrhona
fine french chocolate
Only the best will do for Saphyre’s pastry chef Monto
Mansour – and when it comes to chocolate that means it
has to be Valrhona…
Glamour, elegance and refinement
are the qualities that characterise
both the dishes and the dining space
at the recently opened Saphyre on
Belfast’s Lisburn Road.
Personally designed by the
restaurant’s owner, Kris Turnbull, it
showcases a dining room styled with
signature Hermes fabrics, glamorous
Rubelli silks and the new bespoke
Kris Turnbull furniture collection, all
set within an architecturally stunning
converted church.
Head chef Patrick Rowan is not only
a talented chef but also an ingenious
artisan, using some of the finest
local ingredients to deliver a dining
experience that is as delightful as it is
engaging.
Joining him in the kitchen, talented
pastry chef Monto Mansour has a
distinctive flair with his theatrical
infusion of ingredients. From classic
afternoon tea, to cakes and pastries,
signature macarons and delicate
desserts, his menus are hard to rival.
Monto has worked with Valrhona
chocolate for many years and says,
“I love the vast range and contrast
of couvertures to suit any pastries
or plated desserts that I create.
Valrhona steadily expands the range,
pushing my creativity and helping me
to re-imagine previous recipes and
dishes.”
The opulent dining room also has a
charming front-of-house team, filled
with passion and knowledge, and led
by maître d’ Sam Vince.
In short - this restaurant and
its tantalising menus promise
an exclusive experience for the
discerning diner!
For more information visit
www.valrhona.com
www.valrhonapro.com
(for professional customers)
www.saphyrerestaurant.com
Firstly, soften the gelatine sheet in ice cold water. Next, bring
the mango purée and the tea to 80°c on the stove. Add the
gelatine, stir, then strain over the chopped chocolate.
Emulsify with a hand blender, then set aside to cool to around
30°c. Once cooled, carefully fold in the whipped cream and pour
into glasses.
To serve
Top the mousse with thickly cut slices of fresh mango and your
preferred flavour of ice cream or sorbet. We serve ours in a
tempered chocolate collar, topped with a little coconut foam.
23
24 valrhona caramélia, vanilla & tonka
bean choux buns
For the choux buns
125g milk
125g water
110g salted butter
280g T45 flour
8 eggs
For the Caramélia crème pâtissière
250g whole milk
1 vanilla pod
3 egg yolks
40g sugar
½ a tonka bean, grated
20g corn flour
50g Valrhona Caramélia (36% chocolate)
25
Choux buns
Bring the butter, milk and water to the boil. Whisk in the
flour and cook over a low heat for around 5 minutes.
Transfer to a piping bag with a number 2 nozzle and
pipe into 1cm rounds. Bake for 10-14 minutes at 200°c
and set aside to cool.
Caramélia crème pâtissière
Whisk together the sugar, yolk and corn flour while
bringing the milk, vanilla and tonka to the boil. Strain
the hot milk over the egg, mix and whisk. Return to the
pan and cook over a low heat for at least 10 minutes,
stirring all the time. Add the chocolate to the hot
mixture and whisk vigorously. Pour onto a shallow tray,
wrap with one layer of cling film and set aside to cool.
To serve
Poke little holes in the bottom of the choux buns and
pipe full of the chocolate pastry cream. We serve ours
with a little salted caramel glaze and chunks of aerated
Caramélia chocolate.
smoked hazelnut dacquoise, salted
dulcey ganache & guanaja crémeux
Dacquoise
Preheat the oven to 200°c.
For the dacquoise
120g T55 flour
350g lightly smoked hazelnuts
210g brown sugar
350g caster sugar
500g week-old egg whites
Blitz the flour, smoked hazelnuts and brown sugar
in a food processor for 1 minute. Meanwhile, whip
the egg whites to soft peaks, then begin to add the
caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you have
achieved a smooth glossy meringue. Carefully fold the
dry ingredients into the meringue, pipe into rounds
and bake at 200°c until light golden brown (about 5
minutes).
For the ganache
200g whipping cream
150g Valrhona Dulcey (32% blond)
3g Maldon sea salt
For the crémeux
250g double cream
250g whole milk
150g egg yolks
50g caster sugar
200g Valrhona Guanaja (70% dark)
Ganache
Bring the cream to just below the boil, then pour over
the chocolate. Emulsify with a hand blender, then add
the salt and transfer to a piping bag.
Crémeux
Bring the cream and milk to just below boil. Meanwhile,
whisk the yolk and caster sugar together. Pour the hot
cream over the egg mix, whisk together and return to
the pan. Stir over a low heat until thickened, then strain
over the chocolate drops, emulsify and pour into a
shallow frame.
To serve
Layer the cake, starting with a cube of the dacquoise,
then a tempered Dulcey chocolate sheet. Next, pipe a
dot of the ganache, followed by a crunchy chocolate
wafer and finally curls of the chocolate crémeux.
Great wines from quality driven, passionate
producers, personally selected and imported
directly to you.
26
quintessential
wines
winning
wines to
accompany
your food
The Quintessential Wines mission is to offer a carefully
selected range of first-rate, interesting wines, available
in restaurants, from the company’s Drogheda retail store
or online.
We do...
Friendly
advice and info
Gifts
birthday, anniversary, wedding, golf / spot prizes
Delivery
just give us a call and we’ll take care of the rest
Find the Love
Wines open for tasting every Fri / Sat
Party
Free glass loan service, Wedding wines, menu matching
Private in store events
customised tastings, fun wine course
Corporate
Custom Gifts, fun tastings,
Vouchers
when you don’t know what to buy him / her
Call in and see us
9 Dublin Road, Drogheda, Co Louth.
041 9830960
Or connect with us:
sales@quintessentialwines.ie
www.quintessentialwines.ie
www.facebook.com/Quintessentialwinesireland
“We are a small team of wine nuts who believe wine
shopping should be a fun, engaging experience and
that is why we try to avoid the stuffiness and pretention
surrounding wine and try to relate to our customers
in language they understand,” explains Seamus Daly,
Quintessential Wines, Drogheda.
“Since 2006, we have worked with some of Ireland’s
leading hotels and restaurants, providing them with
wines that help them develop more interesting wine lists
and ones that work well with whatever style of food they
produce.
“Today, many chefs put a lot of emphasis on traceability
and sustainability in their raw materials. We take the
same approach with the wines we import. We ensure this
by importing all our wines directly from the wine grower.
Secondly, we work, where possible, with smaller, family
run wineries who are responsible in their care of the land.
Many of the wines we import are organic or are made to
organic standards.”
The result when you buy from Quintessential Wines is
that you get a bottle of wine which tastes great and is
good value for money.
In 2008, the company opened a wine boutique in
Drogheda, which continues to attract customers from far
and wide looking for good wines, great gift ideas and a
taste of something with a story behind it. Quintessential
Wines has also been included by John and Sally McKenna
in their annual guide since 2009.
Get in touch and feel the Quintessential Wines
experience for yourself – Seamus, Roisin and Noel look
forward to helping you connect with a great bottle!
For more information tel 041 983 0960 or visit
www.quintessentialwines.ie
Gruner Veltliner
Terrasen –
Jurtschitsch,
Kamptal, Austria
2012
Austria’s signature
grape, with its weight
of fruit and hint of
spice, will act as a
balance to the spicy,
smoky and salty
expressions in this
dish. Go on – give
Gruner a go!
Moscatel de Malaga
No1 Seleccion
Especiale 2012
Ordonez, Spain
Harvested late when
the grapes are superripe, this multi-awardwinning wine has the
sweetness to combine
with the parfait but
importantly has the
freshness to not be
sticky or cloying.
Sweet but zesty.
miso halibut, oxtail spring roll, smoked
aubergine with courgette & saki sea
vegetables: Queens Quay Social,
L’Derry. Page 12
iced coconut & lime parfait, crispy tuiles,
homemade fruit jelly & mango coulis:
Ghan House, Carlingford. Page 43
Picpoul du
Pinet, Terre de
Roqueloupie,
France 2012
Comes from the
shores of the Bassin
de Thau on the
Mediterranean,
where its lipsmacking
freshness makes
it the ideal partner
for all manner of
local seafood. The
Muscadet of the
South of France!
crab macaroni cheese with pan-fried
castletownbere scallops & caviar of
apple jelly: Ghan House, Carlingford.
Page 41
Pinot Noir,
Mahi Estate,
Marlborough 2011
Brian Bicknell crafts
small quantities of
this Pinot, which has
lots of black cherry
notes but has the
silky mouth feel to
match the chestnut
and the gel.
wild irish fillet
of venison with
chestnut panna cotta & mandarin gel:
Ghan House, Carlingford. Page 42
roast halibut, jerusalem artichoke,
clams, oxtail, herbs & red wine:
Brabazon at Tankardstown House,
Slane. Page 77
Corbieres Classique
2012, Chateau
Ollieux Romanis,
France
This fantastic wine
is a blend of old vine
Carignan, Grenache
and some Syrah,
which is very, very
lightly oaked. The
luscious red and
black fruit flavours,
which will balance
the carrots, are
counterpointed by the dryer herbal
notes of bay and rosemary which
should work well with the smoky lamb.
mcgeough’s turf-smoked loin of lamb
with mussels & tamarind carrots:
Brasserie On The Corner, Galway City.
Page 143
Maturana Tinta,
Vina Ijalba,
2010, Rioja
Maturana Tinta is
an ancient Riojan
varietal which was
almost extinct until
Vina Ijalba revived
it. A deep coloured
red which has lots of
spice and red fruits.
This depth of flavour
will complement the
Umami rich jowl and the
figs and fennel, while it’s natural freshness
will cut through the fat of the cheek.
glazed pork cheek & slow cooked
jowl with figs & fennel: Brabazon at
Tankardstown House, Slane. Page 78
Vin Santo (Organic)
2006,
Tenuta San Vito,
Tuscany
Vin Santo is the
classic dessert wine
of Italy. Aged for
five years in wooden
barrels it has a nutty,
caramel flavour
which should match
all the elements of
this dish.
chocolate tart with hazelnut purée
& raspberry sorbet: Brabazon at
Tankardstown House, Slane. Page 79
Albarino, La Liebre y
la Tortuga 2012 Rias
Baixas, Spain
Albarino from Northern
Spain is the classic
wine for fish. It has
the zesty, minerally
freshness required
for the monkfish but
has the weight of
ripe peachy fruit to
handle the deep fried
mushroom pâté and
wild mushroom.
monkfish & slow cooked pork belly
with carrot purée, wild mushrooms,
mushroom pâté & a buttermilk
foam: The Lemon Tree, Letterkenny.
Page 103
Valpolicella Ripasso
2012 Torre d’Orti,
Veneto, Italy
Sometimes described
as ‘Baby Amarone’,
Ripasso can be too
powerful to match
with food but Torre
d’Orti comes from a
cooler vineyard on
limestone soil which
means the wine isn’t
too full on. However,
its sweetness of fruit
will combine nicely with the venison
and the sqush.
marinated saddle of venison with
butternut squash & fruity demiglaze: Signal, Station House Hotel,
Kilmessan. Page 137
27
square bistro
18 Lisburn Square, Lisburn BT28 1TS
t: 028 92 666 677 e: info@squarebistro.co.uk
www.squarebistro.co.uk
square bistro cherry & amaretto
dessert
STEVIE HIGGINSON
28
For the mousse
4 egg whites
squeeze of lemon juice
100g dark chocolate
20g caster sugar
For the cherry purée jelly
200g fresh cherries, pitted
100g caster sugar
70ml Disaronno (amaretto liqueur)
1 leaf of gelatine
For the cherry custard cream
3 egg yolks
40g caster sugar
250ml double cream
Cherry purée/jelly
In a food processor, combine the pitted cherries
with the sugar and process until smooth for 30
seconds. Pour into a fine sieve set over a bowl.
Reserve a third of this purée for later. Soak the
gelatine leaf in a bowl of cold water to soften.
Heat the remaining purée in a saucepan over
low heat, remove the softened gelatine leaf from
the water and whisk it into the warm purée until
dissolved. Pour the jelly into the base of each
serving glass and put in the fridge to set.
Exceptionally good food, combined
with competitive pricing, friendly
and efficient service and a buzzing,
lively atmosphere - Square Bistro has
it all…
Chef proprietor Stevie Higginson
opened the Square Bistro in Lisburn
seven years ago with the maxim
‘It’s all about the food’ and it’s an
aspiration he has more than lived
up to, having consistently earned a
prestigious ‘Best in Ireland’ McKenna’s
Guide plaque (formerly Bridgestone)
every year from 2010 through to
2014.
Renowned for his flair and
imagination, Stevie goes the extra
mile to produce great food. Order the
crème brulée for dessert and it isn’t
just any crème brulée, it’s one infused
with fragrant ‘Turkish Delight’.
“Taste is the most important thing
there is in cooking and all our dishes
are full of flavour,” says Stevie. “We try
and source our products locally where
possible and, with the exception of ice
cream, we make everything fresh in
our kitchen – as diners can easily see
at the passe, which is open onto the
restaurant.”
Whatever your tastes, the Square
Bistro has a menu to suit, with regular
themed nights for lovers of seafood,
curry or tapas. Add to that early bird,
specials and à la carte menus and
you realise just how spoilt for choice
diners are!
“Producing consistently high
standards is extremely important, as
is having a good team around me,”
says Stevie. “My sous chef, Leigh
Ferguson has been here for seven
years and I know I can rely on him
to maintain those standards on the
nights when I am not there. My wife,
Christina leads the team front of
house and many of the staff have
been with us for a number of years
so they have the experience and
professionalism that enables diners
to relax and enjoy their visit, knowing
they are in capable hands.”
As one of the many wall plaques on
display says, ‘Enter as a stranger,
leave as a friend.’ One visit to the
Square Bistro is enough to make you
want to return time and time again.
It’s all
about the
food.
Cherry custard cream
Bring the cream to simmering point over a low
heat. Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a
bowl until well blended. Pour the hot cream onto
the eggs and sugar, whisking all the time. Return
to the pan and, over low heat, stir with a wooden
spatula until thickened. Remove from the heat,
stir in the remaining cherry purée and leave to
cool.
Chocolate mousse
Break the chocolate into small pieces and place
in a heat-proof glass bowl over a saucepan of
simmering water. Allow the chocolate to melt,
remove from heat and cool slightly. In a separate
bowl, whisk the egg whites with the sugar and
lemon juice until pale and stiff. Beat one third of
the whites into the melted chocolate to loosen
and then gently fold in the rest. Pour the mousse
into the glasses over the set cherry jelly and
return to the fridge.
To serve
Whip up the cold cherry custard and pour into the
glasses over the chocolate mousse and jelly. We
like to top the desserts with crushed amaretto
biscuits and toasted almonds.
29
roast rump of lamb, butternut squash
purée, seasonal vegetables
A simple dish which consistently pops up on our menu clean, fresh and a dream to eat.
30
4 x 350g rump of lamb
4 medium carrots
4 baby beetroots
12 sprouts
1 butternut squash
50-100ml double cream (enough to loosen the butternut
squash)
Preheat the oven to 180°c
Pre-cook the vegetables by cooking them in lightly salted
boiling water until they just have a slight bite, then
plunge them into iced water.
Pan fry the lamb rumps on all sides to get a good colour
all over, then transfer to an oven tray and roast for 15-20
minutes until medium (any more and they will become
dry).
Peel, de-seed and dice the butternut squash and
boil until very soft. Drain in a sieve and then heat the
butternut in a pot with some cream, salt and pepper,
then blend to a purée. Set aside.
To bring the vegetables back to temperature, heat them
in a little butter. Put a good swipe of the butternut purée
on the plate, then the vegetables and the lamb rump.
Serve with champ and gravy. smoked haddock benedict
4 rashers of streaky bacon
soda bread
400g smoked haddock
flour, egg & breadcrumbs
4 fresh free-range eggs
1 tsp white wine vinegar
salt
For the hollandaise sauce
400g butter
3 egg yolks
½ glass of white wine
Worcestershire sauce
pinch of paprika
squeeze of lemon
salt & pepper
Hollandaise sauce
Melt the butter in a microwave or pot. Add the egg yolks
into half a glass of white wine in a heatproof bowl, over
boiling water. Whisk until you can make a figure of
eight which holds its shape for a few seconds. Take off
the heat and very slowly whisk in the butter, then add
a dash of Worcestershire sauce, pinch of paprika and a
squeeze of lemon. Season with salt and pepper.
Put the streaky bacon on an oven tray and cook until
crispy. Remove and set aside. Boil a pot of water and
add the white wine vinegar and a dash of salt. Gently
swirl the water and add one egg at a time. Gently
poach for 3 minutes approximately. Remove and chill
in cold water to stop the cooking process. The eggs can
now be set aside and brought to temperature, when
ready to serve, in boiling water.
Cut the soda into small round circles and cook in butter
until golden brown.
Cut the smoked haddock into 4 small portions; coat
each piece in flour, then egg and finally breadcrumbs.
Deep fry for 5-6 minutes at 175°c.When cooked, drain
on kitchen paper.
31
flogas
cooking on (flo)gas
32
Luck has been on our side over the last 12 months
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That said, the BBQ is so versatile that a great many
1 loaf of tiger bread
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buying some steaks, mince for burgers, chicken for
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nothing beats a good old rib-eye charred on the BBQ. It
has to be every carnivore’s favourite on a hot summer’s
day, washed down with a good glass of red no doubt!
calves’ liver, blonde steamed mussels
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We had the BBQ out more than enough last year and, like
many, we created new and exciting dishes to cook.
For the topping
500g fresh calves’ liver
rocket
salt & pepper
caramelised baby onions
For the mussels
500g fresh mussels, cleaned & beards removed
1 banana shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
100ml Dungarvan Blonde Ale
coriander & parsley, chopped
Slice the bread into thick slices, drizzle with olive oil and
lightly char-grill on both sides.
With your BBQ on a medium to hot setting, lightly oil the
calves’ liver and season with salt only. Place on the grill,
turning only once. No more than 1 minute each side (best
served pink and rested).
For the mussels, place a small pot on the BBQ and gently
fry the diced garlic and shallot. Add the mussels and
the beer and put a lid on the pot, leaving it slightly ajar
to allow the mussels to take on some of that wonderful
smoky flavour. Steam until the mussels are open,
discarding any which do not open.
To serve
Add the herbs and serve to the side in a bowl with the
cooking liquid. Top the char-grilled bread with a little
rocket, the liver and caramelised baby onions.
things can be cooked on it – using a decent gas BBQ,
powered by Flogas of course!
Gas is always my preferred choice. Given the super fast
lives we all lead today, we need super fast heat to get
cooking rather than waiting for charcoal to come to
temperature. Arriving in from work, getting the last of
the sun’s rays, we need to get cooking sooner rather
than later.
I have taken a simple dish of calves’ liver with mussels,
served with a good slab of bread to soak up any of the
juices from the steaming liquor of the mussels.
For more great ideas visit www.flogastronomy.com
33
YOU CAN JUDGE THE
Q U A L I T Y O F T H E I N G R E D I E N T. . .
gourmet
classic
34
35
created by chefs, for chefs
Chef Stevie Higginson, who runs the highly successful
Square Bistro in Lisburn, cooks with Gourmet Classic’s new
flavoured balsamic glazes…
. . . BY T H E C O M PA N Y I T K E E P S .
Gourmet Classic never compromises on quality. When using our range of
Cooking Wines and Spirits chef can be confident of an ingredient that performs
brilliantly – every time. This is why the UK’s leading chef associations are proud
to work with us. And we are 40% cheaper than the bottled equivalents.*
*Beware of cheap imitations.
gourmetclassic.com
Gourmet Classic has released its
latest offering, a range of flavoured
balsamic glazes, and we asked
resident chef Stevie Higginson to get
to work in the kitchen and test them
out for YesChef readers.
The team at Square Bistro received
four flavours - chocolate, roasted
garlic, smokey lapsang and tom yum.
For a starter, they got to work with
a simple chicken salad. Honestly,
the balsamic on its own would work
perfectly, but being a chef, Stevie
decided to up the game.
“We introduced some extra
components such as rosemary, sugar,
a touch of soy sauce and garlic,” he
explains. “We allowed the marinade
to infuse with some chicken overnight
and simply roasted the chicken off
in the oven. We love this product it’s well balanced in flavours and,
although it’s a reduction, the vinegar
is definitely not too intense.
“The Gourmet Classic range is simple
to incorporate in so many ways
and reduces the process. I am very
particular about what products we
allow into our kitchen. Our motto is
‘it’s all about the food’ and we hold
that very dear to our heart. If the
product doesn’t stand up, it simply
doesn’t get in.
“For the duck dish, we used the
Smokey Lapsang balsamic glaze,
which has mild undertones and
balanced the tea-infused duck breast
nicely - not too intrusive, but adding
subtle essence which complemented
our jus nicely.”
Other great products from Gourmet
Classic include a range of cooking
wines, which are lightly seasoned and
have reduced alcohol. This helps to
keep the price down, which therefore
makes the wine exempt from VAT.
The reduction doesn’t have to be as
intense to remove the strong alcohol
tones, creating a superb finished
sauce.
Our motto is ‘it’s
all about the
food’ and we hold
that very dear to
our heart.
36 gourmet classic balsamic lapsang
duck, beetroot, beetroot foam,
roasting jus
For the duck
2 duck breasts
2 star anise
5 whole cloves
5 green cardamom pods
10 black peppercorns
1 × 3cm piece cinnamon stick
500ml freshly brewed tea
For the beetroot
4 beetroots
2 tbsp Broighter Gold rapeseed oil
salt & pepper
For the beetroot foam
2 cooked beetroots, in their cooking liquor
2g soy lecithin (1 sachet)
100ml Gourmet Classic chardonnay white wine
200ml chicken stock
100ml Smokey Lapsang balsamic glaze
Duck
Score the duck breasts on the fat side, place into
the freshly brewed tea and leave to cool to room
temperature.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes,
then place all the spices into the pan and toss them
around for about 2 minutes, until they are slightly
toasted. Remove the spices from the pan and put them
into the bowl with the tea. Cover with cling film and
place in the fridge for 12 hours, or overnight.
Remove the duck breasts from the marinade, season,
skin side only, with sea salt and place on a medium to
hot pan, skin side down (no need for oil as the duck will
render enough fat to assist in the cooking). Gently cook
until the skin is a nice golden colour. Turn the breast
over, finish the flesh side for 1 minute and remove
from the heat. Rest, skin side up, for at least 5 minutes,
reserving half the fats from the pan for the jus.
Beetroot
Season with salt and pepper and place in tin foil. Drizzle
with the Broighter Gold rapeseed oil and loosely wrap,
then place in an oven at 170°c and roast until cooked
through (about 20 minutes). Peel, with gloves on, and
cut to your desired size.
Beetroot foam
Blitz the beetroots in their cooking liquor and drain
through muslin cloth. Dissolve the soy lecithin in the
juices and blitz to form a foam.
Roasting jus
Finally, using half the cooking juices from the pan in
which the duck has been fried, add the Gourmet Classic
white wine and reduce by half. Add in the chicken stock
and again reduce by half. Finally add in the Smokey
Lapsang balsamic glaze to finish, cooking out for 3-5
minutes.
Serve with a shaving of truffle and some salad leaves.
37
gourmet classic balsamic
chocolate truffles
38
100g dark orange chocolate (70% cocoa)
250g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
2 tbsp double cream
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1-2 tbsp Gourmet Classic chocolate balsamic glaze
2 tbsp unsalted butter
300g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
Place some finely chopped chocolate (250g dark
and 100g orange) in a bowl. In a small saucepan,
combine the cream and the corn syrup over medium
heat. Bring the mix to a gentle simmer. Pour the hot
cream over the chopped chocolate, letting it sit and
soften the chocolate for a minute. Gently whisk the
cream and chocolate together until the mixture is
shiny and smooth.
Add a tablespoon of Gourmet Classic chocolate
balsamic glaze and whisk it in. Taste the ganache,
and if desired, add a little more (up to an additional
tablespoon until you get a flavour you like). You don’t
want to actually taste vinegar, rather, the vinegar will
intensify the fruitiness of the chocolate. Whisk in the
room-temperature butter.
Press a layer of cling wrap on top of the chocolate and
refrigerate it until it is firm enough to scoop (about 1
hour).
Once firm, but not hard, use a small 1-inch candy
scoop or a teaspoon to make small balls of ganache.
Roll them between your palms to make them round,
dusting your palms with a bit of cocoa powder, if
necessary, when the truffles start to stick. Refrigerate
the tray while you prepare the chocolate coating.
To serve
You can use chocolate sprinkles directly onto your
truffles or melt some more chocolate and dip each
truffle to coat. Use mint chocolate or any other flavour
you like.
gourmet classic roast garlic
balsamic chicken salad
2 tbsp Gourmet Classic roast garlic balsamic glaze
1 tbsp honey
50g brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dried rosemary
1 garlic cloves, crushed
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds
100g pine nuts
1 bag of baby leaf salad, washed & ready to eat
small sweet peppers, chopped
olive oil
1 clove garlic
juice of ½ lime
salt & pepper to taste
croutons
In a plastic bag, place the honey, sugar, soy sauce,
dried rosemary, crushed garlic and that all-important
ingredient, Gourmet Classic roast garlic balsamic
glaze. Mix all the ingredients together, place the
chicken breasts in and seal with as little air as possible.
Marinate in a fridge for at least 2 hours, or even better,
overnight.
Heat the oven to 180°c and place the chicken breasts
on an oven-proof dish. Roast for 25-30 minutes. In a
small pot, place the remainder of the marinade and
reduce over a low heat. Baste the chicken once or
twice during cooking. Remove from the oven when
cooked and rest while you prepare a salad. Reduce the
marinade to a sticky consistency for extra sauce.
On a hot pan toast the pine nuts until they take a nice
golden colour. Add them to the salad leaves, croutons
and sweet peppers. Crush the garlic clove, finely chop
and mix with olive oil and the juice of half a lime.
To serve
Dress the salad and serve immediately.
39
ballymaloe
four generations in
the irish food industry
40
As soon as you hear the name Ballymaloe you just know
you’re in for a treat!
The Allen family have become legendary in food circles
and Ballymaloe country house hotel, restaurant and
cookery school now welcome visitors from all over the
world. Ballymaloe Country Relish, made on the farm to
a traditional family recipe, is a firm favourite with chefs
and home cooks who appreciate its natural goodness
and full flavour.
Aiming to emulate the best of Irish country house
cooking in its emphasis on fresh home grown produce,
menus at the restaurant in Ballmaloe House feature
locally reared meat and poultry and the catch of the
day, with vegetables cultivated from the farm’s walled
garden.
41
The award-winning Allens are celebrating 50 years
in business this year and, not a family to rest on
their laurels, have added self-catering cottages and
a performance venue, the Grainstore (created from
converted estate buildings), at their County Cork farm,
while also hosting events such as garden and literary
festivals.
Set in the rolling fields of a 400-acre estate, Ballymaloe
offers the perfect venue for weddings and short breaks
where the friendly, family atmosphere, comfortable,
elegant accommodation and exceedingly high culinary
standards combine to make Ballymaloe a much sought
after destination.
For more information tel 021 4652 531 or visit
www.ballymaloe.ie
pan fried duck breast, ballymaloe
cranberry sauce, soy bok choy
4 duck breasts
1 small chilli, sliced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
3 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
4 spring onions, finely chopped
1 bok choy, roughly chopped
1 tbsp Ballymaloe cranberry sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
50ml rice vinegar
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Score the skin of the duck. Season generously with sea
salt and place skin-side down in a large pan over medium
- low heat. Lower the heat slightly and cook to render the
fat, basting as they cook. Once the skin is golden brown
and crisp flip the breasts and cook the remaining side for
1 minute, add the chillies for the last minute. Transfer the
breasts, skin-side up, to rest. Reserve half the fat from the
pan with the chillies.
In a wok or large frying pan, add the sunflower oil and
sauté 2 tablespoonfuls each of the ginger and garlic for
about 30 seconds. Add the scallions and bok choy, season
and cook for about 3 minutes. In the reserved duck pan
over medium-high heat, add the remaining ginger, garlic
and scallions to the pan, then the Ballymaloe cranberry
sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar. Cook gently for about 5
minutes to infuse and reduce the liquid slightly. Serve with
egg noodles or rice.
home-made beef patties, mustard,
rocket & ballymaloe country relish
800g fresh beef mince
salt & pepper
4 bread baps
1 large beef tomato, sliced
2 medium red onions, sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
50ml red wine
100ml beef stock
50ml port
2 tbsp American mustard
2 tbsp Ballymaloe Original Country Relish
mayonnaise
fresh rocket leaves
Melt together the butter and oil over a medium heat
and add the onions. Sauté until soft but not coloured.
Add the port, stock and wine and boil until the liquid is
almost absorbed. Set aside.
Season the ground beef and shape into four patties.
Cook the patties in a frying pan in a little oil over a
medium to high heat until cooked through.
To serve
Toast the bread baps and top with the rocket, Ballymaloe
Original Country Relish, tomato slices and the patties,
followed with some mustard, the red onion reduction
and finally some mayo. Enjoy!
ghan house
Carlingford, Co. Louth
t: 042 937 3682 e: info@ghanhouse.com
www.ghanhouse.com
crab macaroni cheese with pan-fried
castletownbere scallops & caviar of
apple jelly
STEPHANE LE SOURNE
42
For the crab macaroni cheese
250ml fresh cream
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
220g cream cheese
170g fontina cheese
220g mascarpone cheese
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
500g macaroni pasta
500g crab meat
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
For the caviar of apple jelly
1 ltr pressed apple juice
10g agar agar
For the scallops
12 Castletownbere scallops, corals removed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
A stone’s throw from Carlingford
Lough at the foot of Slieve Foy
Mountain is Ghan House, a fully
restored Georgian house with two AA
Rosette restaurant, bedrooms and
cookery school…
course tasting menu at €33 midweek in
addition to the main restaurant menu,
which offers up to four courses and runs
all week to 9.30pm. The restaurant is
also open for lunch on Sunday. Booking
ahead advised!
It is just a short trip from Dublin
or Belfast (less than an hour in
each case) which brings you to the
beautiful medieval town of Carlingford
where a tree-length away is Ghan
House.
Log fires, candlelight and not selling
a table twice add to the relaxed
atmosphere at Ghan House.
Set within three acres of walled
gardens with herb and vegetable
gardens, head chef Stephane Le
Sourne has utilised the best of the
land and sea around him - the famous
Cooley lamb and beef from the slopes
of Slieve Foy, Carlingford mussels,
oysters and lobster from the lough
and fish brought in to Kilkeel harbour.
The restaurant, which serves nonresidents and residents, is open most
evenings and offers a great value six-
The business was established 21 years
ago by chef proprietor Joyce Carroll
in 1993; she is now semi-retired and
leaves the kitchen decisions in the
very capable hands of Stephane, ably
assisted by Allan Maynard, who take
pride in making their own stocks and
sauces, homemade breads and ice
cream.
Ghan House has retained the two AA
Rosettes awarded back in 2011 and
has also won, three years running, ‘Best
Hotel and Country House Restaurant
in County Louth’ awarded by The
Restaurant Association of Ireland.
The bedrooms at Ghan House offer a
tranquil oasis, boasting features such
as family antiques, sea or mountain
views and homemade biscuits, all
dovetailed with the requirements
of modern living - bath and shower
en-suite, free wi-fi, iPod dock and
32” flat screen digital TV. Indeed the
bedrooms have been in John and Sally
McKenna’s ‘Best 100 Places to Stay
in Ireland’ for the last 16 years…all of
which makes Ghan House in medieval
Carlingford an ideal food lovers’
getaway!
Best Hotel and
Country House
Restaurant in
County Louth.
Caviar of apple jelly
Boil the apple juice in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the agar agar and whisk until thick, remove from
heat and allow to cool and set. Then, put the jelly into
a food processor and pulse carefully until it resembles
caviar.
Crab macaroni cheese
Cook the pasta according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. In a separate large saucepan over medium
heat, melt the butter and cook the shallot until soft.
Stir in the cream, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, cream
cheese and mascarpone and bring to the boil. Remove
from the heat and mix in the fontina cheese, crab meat
and the cooked pasta. Season well. Pour the macaroni
cheese into a baking dish or individual moulds, top with
breadcrumbs and bake in a preheated oven at 180°c
until golden brown.
Scallops
Heat the butter and oil in a sauté pan until very hot.
Season the scallops and fry for 2 minutes on each side
until caramelised.
Serve as illustrated.
43
wild irish fillet of venison with
chestnut panna cotta & mandarin gel
For the chestnut panna cotta & mandarin gel
250ml fresh cream
40g sugar
1 leaf gelatine
75g chestnut paste
5g whiskey
2g agar agar (available from health food shops)
100g mandarin purée
44
For the venison
4 x 100g venison fillets
salt & pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Chestnut panna cotta & mandarin gel
Heat the cream in a saucepan until it comes up to the
boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar,
chestnut paste and whiskey.
Soak the gelatine leaf in some cold water until soft,
then remove the gelatine and stir it into the cream until
dissolved. Pour the creamy mixture into glasses and
chill in the fridge until set and wobbly.
For the gel, mix the purée with the agar agar over
medium heat, then bring it to the boil. When the
mixture thickens, remove from the heat. Purée with a
stick blender and then pour the gel over the set panna
cottas.
Venison
Mix the garlic, rosemary and thyme in a bowl. Season
the venison fillets with salt and pepper and then
sprinkle on the herb mixture. Heat the oil in a frying
pan, cook the venison for 5 minutes, then turn over and
cook for 3-5 minutes more, depending on how rare you
like it. Lift the meat from the pan and set aside to rest.
To serve
Place the venison on a serving plate alongside the panna
cotta. We like to accompany this dish with roast beetroot
and hazelnuts. If you can’t get mandarin purée, use
apricot purée instead.
iced coconut & lime parfait, crispy
tuiles, homemade fruit jelly & mango
coulis
300ml water
160g caster sugar
zest & juice of 3 limes
3 eggs, separated
1 tbsp caster sugar
200ml coconut cream
Boil the water, sugar and lime zest together in a
saucepan for 5-8 minutes until reduced by one third.
Remove from heat and cool.
Whisk the egg yolks and lime juice together until pale
and frothy and then whisk in the cooled sugar syrup and
the coconut cream.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to a meringue with
one tablespoon of caster sugar, until stiff. Mix a quarter
of the meringue into the egg yolk and syrup mix, then
gently fold in the remainder of the meringue until well
combined. Pour into a loaf tin that has been lined with
cling film and freeze for 4-6 hours until set.
To serve
Cut into slices and decorate with fruit jelly, mango purée
and crispy biscuits (bought are fine).
45
solaris tea
pure from leaf to cup
46
It’s the next step up for tea connoisseurs – and the
ultimate gift, either to yourself or a loved one.
Master tea blender, Jörg Müller, and his wife Karin (both
qualified medical herbalists) are leading the way with
personalised teas at their Galway-based company,
Solaris Tea.
In one of those ‘light bulb moments’, Jörg realised
that, with his customers as diverse in their tastes as
the blending options he can offer, personalised tea is
a logical extension to the many varieties he already
produces.
“Essentially, we’re re-inventing tea for you,” says Jörg.
“It’s ‘your’ story, ‘your’ connection, ‘your’ personality
– you can even add your own label to the finished
product.”
matcha green tea marinated
beef satay
3g matcha green tea
5ml chilli oil
5g caster sugar
5ml Indonesian soy sauce
300g sirloin or beef rump, cut into thin slices
bamboo skewers
sea salt & freshly milled pepper
Infuse the tea in 30ml boiling water. Whisk
in the oil, soy sauce and sugar. Strain the
mixture and use to marinate the beef strips.
Whilst the beef is marinating soak the
skewers in cold water. Thread the beef onto
the skewers, season with some sea salt. Grill
or barbecue the skewers until cooked to your
preference and finish with a twist of pepper.
In a unique, tailored process, customers tell Jörg a little
about their personalities, likes and lifestyles, enabling
him to come up with a bespoke tea which can be reordered time and time again.
“Smells and tastes are both very strong memory
triggers and these teas can act as a conduit for
recalling important moments in your life or as corporate
gifts establishing a customised identity for a particular
business,” he explains.
An award-winning specialist in the blending and
preparation of whole-leaf organic teas, Solaris enjoys
international acclaim, and it’s easy to see why. Once
tasted, you’ll be a convert!
For more information tel 091 750 020
www.solarisbotanicals.com
yellow mountain maofeng
soaked rich fruit cake
150g butter
150g caster sugar
3 free-range eggs
225g plain flour
5g baking powder
175g sultanas
175g raisins
50g glacé cherries
50g mixed peel
30g ground almonds
rind of 1 small lemon
rind of 1 small orange
3g Solaris Maofeng tea
Infuse the tea a little with 100ml boiling water, then
stir in the dried fruits and the zests. Allow the fruits to
infuse and soak up the tea flavours. Strain and reserve
any liquid from the soaked fruits.
Preheat the oven to 170°c and line a 20cm cake tin with
greaseproof paper. Cream the butter and sugar until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping
down well to avoid curdling. Carefully sift the flour and
baking powder into the mixture.
Fold in the ground almonds, then the soaked fruit. Add
about 20ml of the liquid used to soak the fruit. Place
the cake mixture into the prepared tin, making sure the
mixture is evenly distributed. Place in the preheated
oven for approximately 2 hours. If the cake starts to
become dark, cover with a circle of tin foil. Allow to cool
before removing from the tin.
The cake will be even better if you can leave for a day to
allow the tea flavours to develop.
47
jen’s gourmet foods
just pukka!
48
For premium quality extra virgin olive oils
and balsamic vinegars, it’s hard to beat the
range from Jen’s Gourmet Foods.
Jenna Stevenson and her husband Stuart
discovered the produce at the Pukara
Estate in Australia’s Hunter Valley in New
South Wales during a backpacking holiday,
when they worked on the estate for a time.
Since then they have visited regularly and
in 2010 decided to combine their love of
olives with a business opportunity to supply
these award-winning products to the Irish market.
The distinctive, Premium and Premium Robust extra virgin
olive oils are complemented by a range of flavoured extra
virgin olive oils – garlic, herb, lemon, lime, chilli, pepper,
wasabi (the perfect way to add a wasabi zing to fusion
style dishes) and the award-winning truffle.
turkey & potato salad, pukara
caramelised balsamic reduction,
pukara chilli oil
A simple but impressive starter to any dinner party.
300g turkey breast, thinly sliced
Pukara Estate chilli oil, to fry
2 medium red onions
200g baby potatoes, skin on
150ml Pukara Estate caramelised balsamic vinegar
mixed salad leaves & rocket to dress
Pukara herb olive oil to dress
sea salt & cracked black pepper
Place the balsamic vinegar into a small pot and reduce
by 50%, which will bring out a wonderful sweetness. Set
aside.
Now, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until
cooked through. Drain, slice into wedges and set aside.
Dress the turkey strips in Pukara chilli oil and add a
touch of seasoning. Heat a griddle pan and char the
strips. Dress the drained wedges in Pukara herb olive oil
and char on the same griddle pan. Do the same with the
red onion. Mix in the turkey, onion and potatoes.
To serve
Portion out onto 4 plates and dress with some fresh
rocket, the reduced balsamic, Pukara herb olive oil and
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
The balsamic vinegars also offer a fantastic selection
with a choice of barrel-aged and caramelised balsamic
vinegars along with flavoured balsamic vinegars
such as blackcurrant, pomegranate and vanilla and
cinnamon.
Add to that red and white wine liqueur vinegars and,
most recently, a new guava flavoured vinegar and you
can see why Pukara is a pukka product!
Buy online or join the Connoisseur Club and get
deliveries to your door plus the chance to try a selection
of other Australian gourmet products. Jen’s Gourmet
Foods can also be found at St George’s market, Belfast
every Saturday.
For more information tel 07526 731304 or visit
www.pukaraestate.ie
king prawn, pukara herb & chilli
tomato cream, linguini
Place the pasta in a large pot of salted water with a good
‘glug’ of Pukara olive oil and cook to packet instructions.
400g linguini
20 tiger prawns, de-veined
1 tbsp pine nuts
50ml Pukara Estate chilli oil (more, or less, depending on
your taste)
100ml Pukara Estate herb olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
½ red, green & yellow peppers, finely diced
150ml white wine
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp tomato purée
50ml double cream
salt &pepper
parmesan & fresh basil to finish
Put both the Pukara chilli and herb oil into a pan, add the
pine nuts, chopped onion and peppers and cook without
colouring.
In a separate hot pan, fry the prawns in a little Pukara
olive oil to achieve a good colour, about a minute each
side. Remove and set aside.
Add the wine to the pine nut, onion and pepper pan and
reduce by half. Add in the herbs and tomato purée and
simmer for 5 minutes. Now, finish with the cream and
put the cooked prawns in to warm through. Season to
taste.
Drain and serve the pasta, topped with the prawns and
sauce, and finished with a little parmesan and fresh basil.
49
the notorious pig
1.2kg pork shoulder
pyke ‘n’ pommes
Queen’s Quay, L’Derry
t: 0759 4307 561 e: pykie76@hotmail.co.uk
KEVIN PYKE
For the brine
1 ltr water
150g Demerara sugar
200g sea salt
1 tbsp black peppercorns
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
sprig of thyme
For the dry rub
4 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp smoked paprika
50
Inspirational chef Kevin Pyke has
started an urban food revolution in
L’Derry, introducing street food to the
maiden city…
Enjoying a booming trade in London,
street food is luring Michelin-standard
chefs out of the kitchen and into
mobile food units from which they are
producing some fantastic gastro pub
food, offering outstanding value for
money.
Kevin first came across the concept
while on his travels in Asia, loving the
fresh local produce, cooked to order and
sold on the street.
After 18 years in the restaurant trade,
and observing the growth of street
kitchens in London, Kevin decided
last year that the time was right to
introduce the concept to his home town,
appropriately during its Year of Culture.
He invested in a van, modified it to
suit his needs, recruited another chef,
Paul Barrett and opened for business
in a car park near B&Q. Before long, he
was invited to move his van to a prime
location, right on the river front, near the
Foyle marina at Queen’s Quay.
Relying mainly on word of mouth and
social media to spread the news, Pyke
’n’ Pommes has proved a phenomenal
success and Kevin is loving life on the
street.
“We’re bringing a different experience to
food in Derry but two key things remain
the same – all our food is fresh, and
cooked to order. It’s also about sourcing
the best local produce. I get organic
vegetables from Whiteoaks , drive to
Greencastle to buy fish off the boats, am
supplied top quality pork from Grant’s,
and use tender Japanese wagyu beef,
from cattle bred locally in Greysteel
(available on the menu from late May).
With typical Derry humour, Kevin has
come up with menu winners such
as ‘The Cod Father’ (fresh fillet of
Greencastle cod with Jack’s famous
black pudding, Whiteoaks’ potatoes,
leaves, pickled beets and beetroot
vinaigrette) and ‘It’s a Quacker’ (confit
duck leg, braised red cabbage, duck
fat potatoes, spiced carrot purée and
port jus).
‘Wam Bam Thank You Lamb’…
‘Legenderry burger…what next you
wonder? Take a stroll along Queen’s
Quay to find out or hire Pyke ‘n’
Pommes to create a wow factor at
weddings, BBQs and private parties.
We’re bringing
a different
experience to
food in Derry.
For the BBQ sauce
500ml tomato ketchup
175g light brown sugar
125ml water
125ml lemon juice
125ml white wine vinegar
125ml Worcestershire sauce
125g prepared horseradish
60ml soy sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp liquid smoke (optional)
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp chilli powder
60g molasses (or black treacle)
Brine
Place all the ingredients for the brine in
a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
When the sugar and salt have dissolved,
remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Pork
Put all the ingredients for the dry rub
in a bowl and mix well. Place the pork
on a roasting tin and sprinkle on the
rub, massaging in well with your hands
and ensuring all the meat is covered.
Leave to marinate for an hour and then
pour over the brine. Place the tray in a
preheated oven at 120°c and cook slowly
for 12 hours. Baste regularly with the
brine.
BBQ sauce
Combine all the BBQ sauce ingredients
in a large heavy-based saucepan and
place over medium heat. Simmer gently
for an hour until slightly reduced, stirring
regularly.
To serve
We serve the pork, shredded, with the
BBQ sauce and wrapped in Lebanese flat
bread. A great accompaniment to the
wrap is crunchy slaw with apple and a
creamy beetroot crème fraîche, which is
simply made by puréeing cooked beetroot
with crème fraîche, lemon juice and
seasoning.
51
mauds ice cream
mad about mauds
52
Mauds, the Carrickfergus-based independent business has been
making ice cream for more than 30 years and, in recognition
of its excellence, recently scooped top prize in the prestigious
sixth annual Blas na hEireann National Irish Food Awards for its
coolest flavour, Poor Bear’s Delight.
Proving exceptionally popular with discerning foodies
and chefs is Mauds Strawberry Cheesecake which has
the most wonderful biscuity texture, making it the
foundation for many sensational desserts and an exquisite
accompaniment to a host of signature gourmet puddings.
The 100% real dairy ice cream (which contains homemade
honeycomb) left the opposition in the cold and wowed more
than 60 judges in blind taste tests with its creamy, crunchy
mixture.
Mauds has won hundreds of thousands of loyal customers
across Ireland, has more than 10,000 followers on Facebook
and has won more than 130 awards. It was also the first
ice cream company in Ireland to be awarded the coveted
‘Champion of Champions’ in the Ice Cream Alliance’s awards
competition - the ice cream Oscars.
Mauds ice cream is a favourite of chefs in restaurants, cafés
and hotels as it is made from whole Irish milk and cream from
Ballyrashane on the north coast of Ireland, according to a recipe
that was developed over 30 years ago. Its famous honeycomb
is handcrafted to an exacting formula developed by the
company’s in-house sugar boiler Jackie, also three decades ago.
maud’s poor bear’s delight ice cream,
rich chocolate cake
200g dark chocolate, 60% cocoa solids
200g butter
1 tbsp instant coffee
85g self-raising flour
85g plain flour
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
200g light muscovado sugar
200g golden caster sugar
25g cocoa powder
3 medium eggs
75ml buttermilk
Butter a 20cm round cake tin and line the base. Preheat
the oven to fan 140°c. Break 200g dark chocolate in pieces
into a medium, heavy-based pan. Cut 200g butter into
pieces and tip in with the chocolate, then mix 1 tbsp
instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour
into the pan. Gently warm through to melt.
Mix the flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugars and cocoa
powder in the bowl getting rid of any lumps. Beat the
eggs in a bowl and stir in the buttermilk. Pour the melted
chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour
mixture, until everything is well blended and you have a
smooth, runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake
for 1 hour 30 (push a skewer in the centre - it should come
out clean and the top should feel firm). Cool in the tin and
turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Top with ganache and serve.
For more information tel 028 9332 9988 or visit
www.mauds.com
flourless orange cake, mauds belgian
chocolate ice cream
3 oranges
300g ground almonds
300g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
7 free-range eggs
Mauds Belgian chocolate ice cream
Place the unpeeled oranges in a pan with a lid. Cover with cold water,
bring to the boil and simmer for 1½-2 hours, or until the skins are soft and
the insides broken down.
Drain, and when cool enough to handle, cut each orange in half and
remove the seeds. Blitz in a food processor.
Preheat the oven to 160°c. Grease the sides and line the base of a 24cm
loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
Weigh the orange pulp and keep 450g. Place back in the food processor
with all the dry ingredients and add the eggs, one at a time, until you
have a smooth batter.
Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1-1 hour 20
minutes, or until the sides start to come away from the tin.
Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. When
the cake is cold, remove it from the tin. We slice any burnt bits off the top
to leave a nice smooth bottom to the cake.
To serve
Portion out 4 good slices and top with a lovely scope of Mauds Belgian
chocolate ice cream. Simple taste and an unbeatable combo!
53
broighter gold
rapeseed oil
liquid gold
54
‘Grown here, not flown here’ is the proud boast of
Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil - and rightly so!
This award-winning cold pressed rapeseed oil is grown
and cold pressed by Richard and Leona Kane at the
family farm near Limavady. The soil there is unique due
to the farm’s location on the edge of Lough Foyle (just
above sea level on reclaimed land) and such has been
the interest in both the couple and their enterprise,
that Richard and Leona are one of a number of families
featured in UTV’s popular agriculture programme ‘Rare
Breed’ which has been following farming families in
Northern Ireland.
Broighter Gold rapeseed oil is packed full of natural
goodness, and with a healthy balance of omega 3, 6,
9 and vitamin E, and half the saturated fat of olive oil,
dry-aged sirloin carpaccio,
broighter gold rapeseed oil, rocket
The secret to any good carpaccio is to use dry-aged
sirloin or fillet steak. We have chosen sirloin as we feel
there is a deeper flavour to the cut.
200g dry-aged sirloin of beef
100-150ml Broighter Gold rapeseed oil
1 pkt ready-to-use baby leaf rocket
100ml balsamic vinegar
parmesan shavings (use a potato peeler to shave)
The fun part: thinly slice the sirloin or fillet and flatten
out with a meat hammer, rolling pin or even a pan!
Now, simply arrange on your plate and dress with
rocket and parmesan shavings. Shave the parmesan
with a potato peeler and place on top of the beef,
then add the rocket, balsamic vinegar, rapeseed oil,
salt and pepper.
Chef’s tip
You can use any of the flavour-infused varieties of
Broighter Gold to add a new dimension to the dish.
pan fried haddock, broighter gold
rapeseed couscous, tomato butter
it is one of the healthiest and most versatile cooking
oils you can buy – and the preferred choice of many
professional chefs.
Golden in colour, with a subtle, velvety, nutty flavour,
Broighter Gold is a good all-round choice for cooking from frying to baking and drizzling.
If you want something with a bit more ‘oomph’ try
one of the additional range of Broighter Gold rapeseed
oils infused with basil, chilli, lemon or rosemary and
garlic. Buy online or find them at selected shops and
restaurants.
For more information tel 0791 207 6607 or visit
www.broightergold.co.uk
4 x 200g haddock
seasoned flour to dust
Broighter Gold rapeseed oil, to pan fry
450ml chicken stock (cube is fine)
500g couscous
100g parmesan, finely shaved
100g pine nuts
100g bacon, cut into strips
1 tbsp fresh thyme, rosemary & basil, finely diced
200g red, green & yellow peppers, finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
50-100ml Broighter Gold lemon-infused rapeseed oil to dress
salt & pepper
For the tomato butter
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tbsp tomato purée
200ml chicken stock
100g butter
salt & pepper
Tomato butter
Melt the butter in a pan and add the finely diced onion.
Sauté in the butter, not allowing the onion to take any
colour, then add the tomato purée and stock. Whisk in
the butter and season to taste.
Couscous
Prepare by mixing the couscous and hot stock, diced
herbs and 30g of the finely shaved parmesan in a bowl.
Cover with cling film and set aside.
Toast the pine nuts in a warm pan until they begin to
take a slight colour. Fry off the bacon and black pudding
in Broighter Gold rapeseed oil until nice and crisp, drain
on kitchen roll and set aside. In a hot clean pan, add
the peppers and onion in a splash of Broighter Gold
rapeseed oil until they begin to take colour but remain
crisp. Set aside.
Pat the fish fillets dry and dust them in a small amount
of seasoned flour. In a hot clean pan, place the fish
fillets (this can be any white fish), skin side down, with
a little Broighter Gold rapeseed oil and allow to cook for
3-5 minutes, then turn in the pan and remove from the
heat.
Mix the peppers, onion, pine nuts, bacon and black
pudding into the couscous and stir in the Broighter Gold
lemon-infused rapeseed oil (as much as you like). This
will bring a fresh summery taste and feel to this dish.
55
sleepy hollow
15 Kiln Road, Newtownabbey BT36 4SU
t: 028 9083 8672 e: info@sleepyhollowrestaurant.com
www.sleepyhollowrestaurant.com
beetroot & goats’ cheese cannelloni,
with carpaccio of heritage beetroot &
honeycomb
PAUL dalrymple
56
400g Fivemiletown goats’ cheese
50ml double cream
For the beetroot purée
1 large purple beetroot
1 banana shallot
1 clove garlic
olive oil
For the beetroot jelly
250ml organic beetroot juice
2.5g agar agar
½ sheet gelatine
For the carpaccio
1 small golden beetroot
1 small candy stripe beetroot
50ml sherry vinegar
200ml olive oil
25g honey
a few thyme flowers
For the beetroot relish
1 large purple beetroot (oiled & baked for 30 minutes at 150°c)
½ tomato, skinned & diced
1 shallot, diced
½ Granny Smith apple
40ml sherry vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Located just a short distance from
Belfast, Sleepy Hollow offers a
relaxing alternative to the hustle
and bustle of city dining…
Chef proprietor Paul Dalrymple, who
also owns Billy Andy’s traditional Irish
pub and restaurant on the outskirts
of Larne (see page 58), opened Sleepy
Hollow in February 2013 and has been
delighted by the success of his new
venture.
“The response has been amazing,”
says Paul. “Customers travel far and
wide to dine at Billy Andy’s and we
have benefited from that established
reputation, running at between 9095% capacity every day of the week.”
For Paul, it is validation that when
it comes to mixing together the
right ingredients for a successful
restaurant, his experience at the
popular Billy Andy’s has served him
well.
“The two restaurants are quite similar
in that our shared ethos is to provide
a fine dining experience without being
too pretentious,” he explains. “We use
the same principles and methods of
cooking, but you won’t find the small
portions associated with this style of
cooking – we like to serve the hearty,
rustic meals our customers want.
“Our aim is to make our food
accessible to all palates, offering
traditional Irish food cooked with care
and attention to detail, using a variety
of traditional and modern techniques
and flavour combinations to create
exciting new dishes.”
Having trained and worked in a
number of upmarket bistros around
London, Paul has a sound knowledge
of this niche market, and the cooking
skills to match. Benefiting from the
established network of suppliers he
has built up at Billy Andy’s, Paul is a
firm advocate of using local artisan
producers where possible.
“We work with a close-knit group of
trusted suppliers and this allows us
to control the quality of our produce
from source to plate,” says Paul.
Good food deserves a good setting,
and diners at Sleepy Hollow are in
for a visual treat too. Perhaps best
described as modern country chic, the
elegant, comfortable furnishings and
décor help create an informal, stylish
ambiance that manages to be both
cosy and sophisticated at the same
time – perfect for a relaxed dining
experience!
Our aim is to
make our food
accessible to all
palates.
Soften half the goats’ cheese and roll into a 1.5cm
cylinder between layers of cling film, then set in the
fridge.
Goats’ cheese mousse
Soften the remainder of the cheese in a large bowl, then
slowly beat in the double cream and season to taste. We
use a piping bag to serve.
Beetroot purée
Blitz all the ingredients, simmer for 40 minutes and blend
again, then pass through a fine sieve.
Beetroot jelly
57
Soften the gelatine in cold water. Add the agar agar to
the cold beetroot juice, bring to boil and add the gelatine.
Pour onto a lightly oiled flat tray and set in the fridge.
Beetroot carpaccio
Whisk together all the wet ingredients to dress the plate,
peel the beets into a round and finely slice on a mandolin.
Relish
Finely dice all the ingredients, sweat the beet, apple and
shallot in sherry vinegar until soft, add the tomato and
honey and let it rest in its own heat. Store in the fridge.
To serve
Swipe the purée across the plate as shown. Roll the goats’
cheese in the jelly and cut with a hot knife. Build up the
other components around these at the last minute.
We dust the dish with powdered honeycomb.
rack & rib-eye of magheramourne beef,
celeriac purée, confit carrots & braised
shallots
Jacob’s ladder is a very inexpensive and under-used cut of beef.
It is also known as beef short ribs and has more flavour than
steak. Order from your butcher.
58
For the Jacob’s ladder
4 Jacob’s ladder (short ribs) beef pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
6 celery sticks, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bouquet garni
10 black peppercorns
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp celery salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
350ml red wine
1 ltr good beef stock
For the confit carrots
4 carrots, peeled & cubed
1 tsp coriander seeds
For the steaks
4 x dry-aged rib-eye steaks
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
1 tbsp butter
300g duck fat
Jacob’s ladder/ribs
Preheat the oven to 160°c.
Heat a large lidded casserole pot and add the oil. When
hot, add the beef ribs and brown all over. Remove from
pan and set aside. Add all the vegetables, herbs and
spices and fry until lightly browned. Pour in the red wine
and Worcestershire sauce and stir well, scraping off any
sticky bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the ribs
to the pot and add the beef stock. Place the pot with
the lid on in the oven for 4-6 hours until very tender.
Remove the ribs from the pot and keep warm. Strain
some of the liquor into a saucepan and reduce down
over high heat until syrupy for serving.
Confit carrots
In an oven-proof pot, toast the coriander seeds until
they begin to pop. Add 1 tablespoon of the duck fat
and the carrots and sauté over medium heat until they
begin to colour. Add the remaining duck fat, cover the
pot tightly with foil and place in the oven at 160°c for 1
hour.
Steaks
Heat a heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Rub the
steaks with the oil and season with the sea salt. Sear
the steaks for 2½ minutes on each side. Add the butter
and baste the steaks over a lower heat until cooked to
your liking.
To serve
Dress the ribs with the hot syrupy cooking liquor
alongside the rib-eye steak and confit carrots. We also
like to serve whole shallots that have been sautéed and
slowly braised in beef stock and wine and a creamy
mash or celeriac purée.
spiced strawberry & lavender trifle,
sticky toffee pudding, cardamom &
orange crème brûlée with biscotti
For the strawberry trifle
400g strawberries
1 ltr stock syrup
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
small piece of sponge
For the lavender custard
300ml double cream
40g castor
2 egg yolk
½ vanilla pod
1 tbsp lavender leaves
For the sticky toffee pudding
200g dates
250ml water
1 tsp baking soda
175g soft brown sugar
75g butter
2 eggs
2 tbsp treacle
1 tbsp golden syrup
200g self raising flour
For the brûlée
2 egg yolks
120ml double cream
80ml whipping cream
30g castor sugar
2 cardamom pods
zest of 1 orange
¼ vanilla pod
4 biscotti biscuits
Strawberry trifle
Bring the stock syrup to the boil with the spices, add the
strawberries and simmer for 5 minutes. Leave to cool.
Strain leaving just the soup.
Soak 1 gelatine leaf per 120ml of liquor. Heat the liquor
and add the gelatine. Fill approximately 8 glasses
with the diced sponge and the remaining strawberries
(quartered), then top the glasses up with the strawberry
jelly, leaving room for the custard. Set in the fridge.
Lavender custard
Simmer the cream with the lavender and vanilla until
just below the boil. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs
and sugar, then slowly add the strained cream. Add
back to the pan and simmer for a few minutes until a
thin custard consistency. Leave to cool, then top up the
trifle.
Crème brûlée
Simmer the creams with the spices and orange zest
until just below the boil. Mix the eggs and sugar in a
bowl and slowly add the strained cream. Divide into
espresso cups and cook in a bain marie at 110°c for 40
minutes. Cool in the fridge, sprinkle with castor sugar
and caramelise with a blow torch.
Serve with biscotti biscuits.
Sticky toffee pudding
Bring the water to the boil, add the dates and simmer
for 5 minutes. Add the baking soda and blend with a
stick blender. Cream the butter and sugar until light
and add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the syrup
and treacle. Add the date mix, then sift in the flour.
Grease small dariole moulds, half fill with the mix and
bake at 175°c for 16 minutes.
Serve with a butterscotch sauce and ice cream, we use
Mauds Poo Bear.
59
bushmills inn
9 Dunluce Road, Bushmills, Co Antrim BT57 8QG
t: 028 2073 3000 e: mail@bushmillsinn.com
www.bushmillsinn.com
GORDON McGLADDERY
60
duo of donegal salmon, pan-fried &
bushmills whiskey cured with pickled
fennel & horseradish snow
For the whiskey cured salmon
½ side of salmon (skin on)
150g sea salt
150g sugar
100ml Bushmills whiskey
2-3 sprigs of dill, roughly chopped
For the pan-fried salmon
½ side of salmon (skin on), cut into 4 portions
50g butter
salt & freshly ground black pepper
For the pickled fennel
1 bulb of fennel, finely shaved
200g white wine
200g white wine vinegar
200g sugar
2 bay leaves
3 black peppercorns
For the horseradish snow
250ml butter milk
5 tbsp milk
5 tbsp double cream
3 tbsp prepared horseradish
Boasting an international clientele
and an AA Rosette restaurant, The
Bushmills Inn, under Head Chef
Gordon McGladdery, is one to tick off
the bucket list if you’re serious about
fine dining…
Over the years, this charming 19th
century coaching inn, now a fourstar hotel, has received many worthy
accolades, and it would be remiss not
to mention at least a few – named
among Britain’s top 20 romantic
hideaways; selected by National
Geographic Traveller as one of the
five best places to stay in Northern
Ireland; awarded ‘Best Boutique
Hotel in Ireland’ by Golfers Guide to
Ireland 2012; and, most recently,
the winner of the Best Restaurant in
Ulster in the 2013 Good Eating Guide
awards, made all the sweeter by
having nominations based on peer
group votes cast by members of the
restaurant sector.
Head chef Gordon McGladdery has
been cooking at the Bushmills Inn for
the last five years. “The Bushmills Inn
has always enjoyed a huge reputation
worldwide and coming into that was a
bit daunting at first,” admits Gordon,
“but I had worked for the Hilton
Group for 13 years where I received
extensive training in everything from
butchery to patisserie and was part of
an excellent award-winning team.”
With a yearning to become head
chef of a “nice, small hotel in
the country”, Gordon found the
invitation to take over the kitchen at
Bushmills too hard to resist, and his
globe-trotting customers now keep
him on his toes with their culinary
demands. “I get customers from
New York complementing my Oysters
Rockefeller and that’s praise indeed
since this is a dish that originated in
America,” he says.
“I very much enjoy cooking for
people from all walks of life. With
Royal Portrush Golf Club close by, we
get a lot of top golfers from all over
the world and our helipad enables
guests to fly in from further afield at
short notice. We have a lot of regular
diners too and we take great pride
in serving everyone who comes to
us with the best fresh, local food.
Northern Ireland has some of the
finest produce there is – especially
where seafood is concerned - and our
regular Oysters and Music Night is a
firm favourite.”
The Bushmills
Inn has always
enjoyed a huge
reputation
worldwide.
Horseradish snow
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and gently
heat for 5 minutes. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes and
then pass through a sieve into a bowl and freeze until
solid. Use the edge of a spoon to scrape up frozen
‘snow’ shavings.
Cured salmon
Mix the salt, sugar and dill together and scatter half the
mix in a shallow baking dish. Place the salmon on top
and scatter the rest of the mix over it before pouring
the whiskey into the dish. Cover tightly and put in the
fridge for 24 hours, turning the fish over after 12 hours.
When firm to the touch, wash the salmon under cold
running water and then pat dry. Slice thinly to serve.
Pickled fennel
In a small saucepan, bring the wine, vinegar, sugar,
bay leaves and peppercorns to the boil. Add the shaved
fennel and leave to cool in the fridge for a few hours.
Pan fried salmon
Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan, season the
salmon and place it skin-side down in the pan. Cook
until golden brown for about 4 minutes and then turn
over and cook for a further 3 minutes or until it feels
firm.
To serve
Simple arrange the ingredients as shown, drizzled with
some rapeseed oil and sprinkled with the refreshing
horseradish snow.
61
duo of pan-seared breast of quail &
ballotine of quail leg with textures of
pear and cashel blue cheese
3 whole quails, boned out, breasts reserved & meat removed
62
For the ballotine
reserved quail meat
1 chicken breast
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp double cream
salt & pepper
2 slices of Parma ham
For the poached pears
2 pears, peeled, cored & quartered
250ml water
100g sugar
For the pickled pears
2 pears, peeled
½ bottle red wine
½ cinnamon stick
1 clove
1 star anise
For the pan-fried quail breasts
reserved quail breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
30g butter
salt & pepper
Quail ballotine
In a food processor, blend together until smooth the
quail meat, chicken breast, parsley, garlic and cream
and season the mousse well. Lay out the Parma ham
slices together onto a large sheet of cling film and
place the mousse on top. Using the cling film as a
guide, roll up carefully to form a large sausage shape.
Tightly twist both ends of the cling film to ensure it is
watertight. Poach the ballotine for approximately 20
minutes in simmering water until cooked through.
Pickled pear
Place everything into a saucepan, making sure the
pears are immersed in the liquor and simmer for 20
minutes until tender. Remove from the saucepan and
cut into slices for serving.
Poached pear purée
Lightly poach the pears in the sugar and water until
very soft and purée in a blender until smooth.
Quail breasts
To pan-fry the quail breasts, heat the oil and butter in a
pan over a medium heat. Place the seasoned breasts,
skin side down, and cook for 2 minutes until golden
brown, then turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Remove from the pan and allow to rest for a few
minutes before serving.
To serve
Dress the plate with some pear purée and top with slices
of the ballotine, pan-fried quail breast and pear slices.
For added texture, we also add thin slices of ovencrisped ciabatta crostini to this dish.
saddle of rabbit with pickled plums,
candied walnuts, shallot purée & a
red wine jus
For the rabbit
4 rabbit saddles, membranes removed
4 pieces pigs’ caul fat, each 100g, soaked in water for 5
minutes
2 chicken breasts, skinless & boneless
50ml double cream
1 egg white
salt & pepper
1 tbsp chopped basil
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp butter
For the pickled plums
3 plums, stoned & diced
100ml red wine
100ml red wine vinegar
100g sugar
½ cinnamon stick
1 star anise
For the candied walnuts
16 walnuts, sprinkled with sugar & water & roasted in
the oven for 10 minutes
Rabbit
Put the chicken breasts, herbs, double cream and the
egg white into a food processor and season well with
salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Fill this mixture
into a piping bag and reserve. Drain the pigs’ cauls and
pat dry. Place the saddle pieces on a work surface and
pipe the chicken mousse on top of each one. Carefully
roll each piece of saddle very tightly in a piece of
caul to make a sausage shape and then roll them up
in cling film, securing the ends to make them water
tight. Poach them in hot water for 10 minutes, or until
cooked, and then remove the cling film. Melt the butter
in a frying pan and sauté the saddles until golden
brown. Cover with foil and rest the saddles until ready
to serve.
Pickled plums
Place all the pickling ingredients in a saucepan and
bring to the boil for 10 minutes; add the diced plums,
remove from heat and leave to cool.
To serve
Slice the saddles of rabbit and arrange on a plate as
illustrated with the pickled plums and candied walnuts.
We also like to serve this dish with a red wine jus and
steamed savoy cabbage.
63
the hillside
21 Main St, Hillsborough, Co Down BT26 6AE
t: 028 9268 9233 e: info@hillsidehillsborough.co.uk
www.hillsidehillsborough.co.uk
finnebrogue venison loin, potato fondant,
honey roasted piccolo parsnips &
chantenay carrots with spiced rum &
blackberry jus
KARL BANKS
64
For the venison
4 x 175g venison loins
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
For the fondant potatoes
4 large potatoes, peeled & cut into barrel shapes
300ml good chicken stock
2 sprigs of thyme
20g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
For the blackberry jus
100g fresh or frozen blackberries
25ml spiced rum
200ml beef stock
For the carrots & parsnips
50g piccolo parsnips, washed & peeled
50g chantenay carrots, washed & peeled
2 tbsp honey
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cumin
30g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
A purveyor of fine foods, wines and
spirits since 1752, the Hillside offers
a traditional setting for some fine
culinary experiences…
Hillsborough’s oldest pub, the Hillside
has a unique rustic charm, complete
with roaring open fires in winter and
a pretty cobble-stoned beer garden in
the summer.
Serving country food with lots of
flavour, head chef Karl Banks makes
the most of the wonderful local
produce to be found in County Down,
such as meat from the renowned
Hannan Meats in Moira. As part of the
Merchant Hotel Group, the Hillside’s
kitchen also benefits from the group’s
strong buying power when it comes to
sourcing superior produce.
A seasonal menu is complemented
by a comprehensive selection of
daily specials and an excellent drinks
selection - the Hillside offers real ales
as well as a wide-ranging choice of
lagers and stouts, an extensive wine
list and some fine aged Irish whiskeys
by Dillon Bass.
“Karl and his team are very customer
driven and work tirelessly on our
menus,” says general manager,
Andrew Graham. “We have a lot of
regulars and like to keep things fresh
for them. If something turns out to
be especially popular we will then put
it on the main menu. For instance,
our starter of sticky glazed pork bites
has become a real signature dish. We
make the sauce to our own special
recipe and it can be very addictive. We
daren’t take it off the menu now or
there would be complaints!”
Keen to keep the atmosphere as fresh
as the food, Andrew also organises
a number of themed food evenings,
some of them featuring an expert
speaker to explain the various courses
and accompanying wines. Along with
seafood and game evenings, the
creative team at the Hillside have
also organised a garden party event,
featuring picnic style food and jazz
evening.
Keep up-to-date with what’s
happening at the Hillside by visiting
the website, where you’ll also find
details of the latest dining deals.
Serving
country food
with lots of
flavour…
Potato fondants
Heat the oil and butter in an oven-proof frying pan over
medium heat. Add the potatoes and fry until golden
brown all over. Pour in the stock, season well and
cover the potatoes with baking parchment. Place in an
oven at 180°c for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are
tender.
Honey roast carrots & parsnips
Place the carrots and parsnips in a roasting tray and
add the honey, spices and the remaining ingredients.
Mix well and place in a preheated oven at 180°c and
roast until golden and tender.
Venison
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium to high
heat. Brush the loins with the olive oil and season well
all over. Fry the venison loins for 4 minutes on each side
or until cooked to your liking, then remove from the pan
and rest for 4 minutes before serving.
Blackberry jus
Gently cook down the blackberries in a saucepan over
low heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the spiced rum and
flambé. When the flame subsides, add the beef stock
and continue to bubble over medium heat until reduced
by half.
Serve as illustrated and enjoy!
65
atlantic cod wrapped in
prosciutto, dill baby potatoes,
king prawn & dundrum mussels
For the cod
4 x 6oz skinless cod fillet
4 slices prosciutto
lemon juice
olive oil
salt
66
For the potatoes
500g baby potatoes
2 tbsp brown sugar
50g butter
6 sprigs of chopped dill
salt & pepper
For the broth
16 mussels, cleaned
16 king prawns
500ml fish stock
1 tbsp tomato purée
30ml white wine
30g diced carrot
30g diced fennel
2 shallots, diced
20g garden peas
Broth
Sweat the shallots, fennel and carrots in a little olive oil
until soft, but with no colour. Add the tomato purée and
stir in. Cook out gently for about 4 minutes and then
add the white wine followed by the fish stock. Leave on
a medium heat to simmer, then check the seasoning
and adjust with salt and pepper. Leave to cool down.
Heat a wok/pot and add the mussels, prawns and broth
and cook gently with a lid on them, cooking until all the
mussels are opened and the prawns are pink in colour.
Finish with the peas.
Potatoes
Rinse the potatoes under cold water to remove any dirt
and boil in water with the brown sugar, salt and pepper.
Cook until soft, checking them with the point of a knife
or skewer. Drain in a colander, cut into quarters, add
the chopped dill and butter, then season.
Cod
Wrap the prosciutto round the cod fillet and season
with salt. Heat a pan, add olive oil and butter and
place the cod, presentation-side down. Cook for 3 to 4
minutes and then turn and repeat for same length of
time; finish with lemon juice.
To serve
In a large bowl, place the baby potatoes in the centre,
cover with the broth and place the cod on top of the
potatoes. Finish with micro herbs.
duo of slow cooked pork belly & king
scallops with parsnip & mustard purée
For the scallops
8 king scallops, corals removed
50ml olive oil
25ml fresh lemon juice
30g butter
salt & pepper
For the parsnip purée
300g parsnips, peeled & diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
250ml double cream
1 tbsp English mustard
20g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
For the pork belly
400g pork belly, skin scored
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
20g sea salt
Pork belly
Rub the crushed cumin and coriander into the rind
of the pork and leave in the fridge to marinate for
2-3 hours. Then, place the pork on a wire rack over a
baking sheet, rub with the salt, and roast in the oven
for 15 minutes at 220°c and then for 3 hours at 160°c
until very tender. Leave to rest and then cut into small
rectangular portions. Keep warm.
Parsnip purée
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium
heat and sweat the parsnips for 5 minutes. Pour in the
cream and simmer until the parsnips are tender. Pour
into a food processor and blend until smooth. Sieve the
purée into a bowl, add the mustard and season well.
Keep warm.
Scallops
Fry the scallops in the oil in a hot sauté pan for 1-2
minutes on each side until caramelised. Add the butter
and lemon juice and baste the scallops to glaze them,
seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve
Spoon the purée onto the centre of the plate and spread
it down the middle using a spoon. Place the scallops and
pork belly as illustrated. The scallop corals can be dried
on a baking tray in a low oven, then ground to a crumb
or powder consistency for garnishing.
67
billy andy’s
line-caught seabass with cod & shrimp
bonbons & pickled organic vegetables
4 seabass fillets
66 Browndod Road, Larne, Country Antrim BT40 3DX
t: 028 2827 0648 e: info@billyandys.com
www.billyandys.com
TERENCE dalrymple
68
For the bonbons
100g cod
50g brown shrimp
150g dry mash
1 bunch fennel fronds
2-3 scallions, finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of cracked pepper & sea salt
splash of white wine
flour, egg & fine breadcrumbs
For the beurre blanc
75ml white wine vinegar
75ml white wine
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
135g butter diced
For the pickle
500ml white wine vinegar
150ml water
250 light brown sugar
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of coriander seeds
pinch of fennel seeds
pinch of salt
16 florets of romanesco
2-3 organic rainbow carrots, striped down with a potato peeler
A traditional old Irish pub, B&B
and restaurant, Billy Andy’s
offers contemporary fine food at
reasonable prices…
tribute to the skill and dedication of
Conan Malcolmson, who worked with
us for five years and has only recently
moved on to fresh challenges.”
Located near the picturesque village
of Glenoe in County Antrim, Bill
Andy’s is a hidden treasure, offering
upmarket gastro pub food with a fine
dining element.
Having built up excellent relationships
with trusted suppliers, Billy Andy’s
provides customers with a wide
range of the finest, seasonal, local,
sustainable produce available.
Chef proprietor Paul Dalrymple took
over the business nine years ago
and extended the restaurant in
keeping with the traditional style of
the 300 year-old pub. Although still
very much involved, he has recently
passed his chef’s hat over to brother
Terence while he builds a culinary
following at his latest acquisition,
the Sleepy Hollow restaurant, near
Newtownabbey.
“When it comes to meat, we source
whole animals and butcher them
ourselves, using the whole animal,
from head to toe.” explains Paul. “You
have to use your imagination to turn
lesser used cuts of meat into the
delicious dishes that diners will want
to try, but that’s a challenge I enjoy.
It takes a lot more work but using
different cuts of meat and techniques,
such as slow cooking, we can produce
a wide range of complex, intriguing
flavours.
“Terence shares the same culinary
vision as me and under his leadership
in the kitchen, Billy Andy’s continues
to flourish. I would also like to pay
“For customers, it means the fine
dining standard you would get at a
top restaurant but at value for money
prices that are accessible to all. The
quality of our suppliers is second
to none - Finnebrogue venison and
lamb from the neighbouring farm,
rare breed pork and wild game
directly from our own gamekeeper
in Islandmagee, the finest beef from
Topping Meats in Larne and the best
seasonal seafood from Walter Ewing,
Belfast.”
The quality of
our suppliers
is second to
none.
Bonbons
Place the cod and wine for the beurre blanc in a pan
and lightly simmer until cooked. Strain off the wine for
later use. When the cod has steamed dry, combine with
all the other ingredients and form into 12 small balls.
Place on a floured tray and chill in the fridge. When
chilled, reform the balls to get a perfect sphere, coat in
flour, egg and breadcrumb and put back into the fridge.
Beurre blanc
Place the diced shallot, pepper and bay leaf in a pan
with the white wine vinegar and reduce until half. Add
the reserved wine and further reduce by half, then
whisk in the butter, a cube at a time, on a low heat until
it forms a rich emulsified sauce. Pass through a sieve
and keep at a low heat until serving.
Pickle
Bring to boil all the ingredients and simmer for 5
minutes. Strain off the spices and reserve (the pickle
will last in the fridge for months). While still hot, drop in
the romanesco florets for 3-5 minutes, add the carrot
strips and after 1 minute take both out to cool.
Seabass
Season the seabass lightly with sea salt and a little
oil, then place in a large hot pan, skin side down, for 1
minute. Turn the heat down, add a knob of butter and
after another 30-60 seconds place under a grill to finish
off cooking on the flesh side.
Serve as shown.
69
breast & braised leg of partridge,
carrot & raisin purée & baby turnip
2 whole partridges, split down into breasts & legs
8 thin slices of pancetta
1 bouquet garnet
1 tsp golden raisins
1 tbsp dried cranberr y
70
For the carrot & raisin purée
150g carrot, diced
15g butter
2 sprigs chervil
½ star anise
100ml chicken stock
juice of 1 lemon
25g golden raisins
50ml double cream
8 baby turnips
1 sprig of thyme
25ml olive oil
1 parsnip
For the Madeira sauce
1 shallot
2-3 mushrooms
2-3 dates
50ml Madeira wine
100ml chicken stock
50ml double cream
For the blackberry vinegar cream
50g blackberries
35ml sherry vinegar
olive oil
½ tsp thyme leaves
35g honey
Partridge
Stretch out the pancetta with the back of a knife. Lay
down 2 pieces side by side, place a sage leaf on them
and tightly wrap the breast in this. Place in the fridge.
Put all the ingredients, plus the chicken stock for the
Madeira sauce, in a covered casserole dish and simmer
for 1 hour, then reserve the stock for use in the Madeira
sauce later.
Carrot purée
Sweat the carrots and butter in a heavy-based pan
with the lid on for 6-8 minutes. Add all the ingredients
(except the cream) and simmer until tender. Add the
cream and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Take out the
star anise and blend until smooth.
Wash the baby turnips, blanch in boiling water for 5
minutes and then roast, with a splash of oil, at 190°c
for 6-8 minutes. Peel the parsnips and then carry on
peeling in long strips. Preheat the oil to 190°c, drop in
the parsnips and toss in the oil for less than a minute.
Strain on kitchen roll and season while still hot.
Madeira sauce
Lightly fry off the diced shallot, mushrooms and dates
until golden brown. Add the Madeira wine and reduce
by half. Add the chicken stock and further reduce by
half, then add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pass through a fine sieve and reserve the sauce for
serving.
Blackberry vinegar cream
Put the blackberries, thyme and sherry vinegar in a
blender. Pulse until smooth, then slowly trickle the oil
in, finish with honey and seasoning and pass through a
fine sieve.
To serve
Reheat, separately, the partridge legs with raisins and
cranberries, and the carrot purée.
Seal the partridge breasts in a hot pan for 1 minute on
each side and place in an oven at 180°c for 3-5 minutes.
Cook right through, then serve with all the other
ingredients and a little wilted spinach.
platter of rare breed pork & spiced apple
1kg loin of pork
1kg pork belly
2 tbsp olive oil
For the ham hock
1 ham hock
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
bouquet garni
1 star anise
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
300g Clonakilty black pudding
For the seasoning
2 tbsp green peppercorns, crushed
2 tbsp mustard seeds, crushed
bunch of sage, finely chopped
grated zest of 1 orange
Seasoning
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl; reserve half for the pork loin
and half for the pork belly.
Pork loin
Trim most of the fat from the pork loin and finely score any
remaining fat. Rub all over with half the seasoning and then
cut the loin in two, lengthways down the centre, and wrap
both pieces tightly in cling film to form cylinder shapes. Leave
in the fridge to chill for an hour. Remove the cling film and
brown the pork on all sides in the oil over high heat in an
ovenproof frying pan. Transfer the pan to a preheated oven
at 180°c for 8-12 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Keep
warm until ready to slice and serve.
Pork belly
Preheat the oven to 165°c.
Cut the skin from the belly and score the remaining fat on the
belly and rub in the other half of the seasoning on all sides. Lay
overlapping sheets of cling film on a work surface and place
the belly skin side down on the film. Tightly roll up the belly in
the cling film, securing tightly at either end. Place in a deep
oven dish and pour in enough cold water to cover a third of the
pork, then place in the oven for 4-5 hours. Remove from the
oven and leave to cool for 30 minutes in the liquid. Rewrap the
pork in fresh dry cling film and leave in the fridge to set. Cut
into serving slices when ready to serve.
Ham hock
Put the ham hock and all its ingredients into a large
pot, cover with boiling water and simmer for two hours.
Allow to cool in the liquid. Remove the meat from the
hock when cooled. Mix the ham hock meat with a
little of the cooled liquor and then spread out into a
rectangular shape on a sheet of cling film.
Black pudding
We make our own black pudding mouse but for ease
simply crumble some black pudding ready for the ham
hock croquettes. Now place some of the black pudding
onto the ham hock rectangle. Using the cling film as
a guide, carefully roll the ham hock meat around the
black pudding to fully encase it. Secure either end
of the cylinder and leave in the fridge to set. Cut the
cylinder into portion sizes and dredge them in the
seasoned flour, dip into the beaten egg and then roll
in the breadcrumbs. Deep fry at 175°c until golden and
crispy.
To serve
Reheat slices of the pork belly in a hot smoking pan
and serve with the pork loin, croquettes and crackling
as illustrated. We also serve this dish with warm spiced
vanilla-scented apples and butter-braised cabbage
leaves, rolled up encasing crispy fried bacon lardons.
71
72
73
The second largest traded commodity on the world’s
markets, coffee has become an integral part of our
daily lives...
However, our favouite ‘cup of Joe’ may never have
reached our shores, or those of other countries whose
very indentify is linked with the coffee culture (such
as Italy, the home of espresso or the USA, the largest
consuming nation), if it hadn’t been for a lowly goat
herd.
johnsons
coffee
Philip Mills, Sales Director
at Johnsons Coffee, outlines
the history and romance
associated with ‘specialty
coffee’.
Coffee was first grown in the Ethiopian province of
Kaffa. While legend states that it was a goat herd called
Kaldi who first noticed his goats getting giddy when
eating the cherries from the coffee tree, it is likely that
slaves were the first humans to consume the fruit,
taking the cherries to the Yemen through the busy port
of Mocha.
Cultivation started in earnest in the 15th century when
Arabian law banned the export of fertile beans in a bid
to ensure the limited crop of this new drink remained
in the domestic market, being sold in the new ‘kaveh
kanes’, or coffee houses, of Mecca.
The potential for us all to one day enjoy the delights
offered by this, then rare, drink were only realised when
Dutch traders took some live trees back to Holland
where they were grown in greenhouses. In the late
1600s these same traders were able to transport trees
to the Malabar region of India and Batavia in the Java
Islands, where plantations were established.
And so, coffee as a multi-regional product became a
reality. The first literal reference to it reaching North
America dates back to 1668, with its adoption as the
national brew being a result of the Boston Tea Party
of 1773, an event which was itself orchestrated in the
Green Dragon coffee house.
From these humble beginnings coffee travelled to
Jamaica, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador and
Colombia over the following two centuries, and has
continued to grow.
Today, the cultivation of coffee employs some 26
million people, in addition to which many more millions
are employed in its transport, trading, roasting, brewing
and selling.
The trade in raw beans reached $15.4 billion in 20092010 when over 93 million bags, each containing 69kg
of green beans, were sold. The vast scale of the industry
is difficult to comprehend when it is understood that
one coffee tree produces a mere 2kg per year!
The story though has only just begun. With over 6,000
species of tree variety, differentials in flavour occur
across not only continents and countries, but from
individual estate to even the neighbouring estate making any journey of discovery simply never ending.
Widespread descriptives may exist between regions
(eg Kenya being lightly acidic with a fruity nature while
Java is chocolatey with a spicey nose) but these are
only vague descriptives of generics and often do no
justice to the deep sensory experience enjoyed when
cupping for example, a Colombian Granja La Esperanza
Yellow Bourbon which will have a mild flavour, a light
body with notes of vanilla and an aftertaste of floral
wine.
In an age when the blend and flavour of espresso
coffee forms the basis of every cup served in our
cafés, whether as espresso, macchiato, americano or
cappuccino, the world of origin coffees is ignored and
with them a myriad of flavours and aromas that any
true coffee lover must experience.
Having celebrated 100 years of roasting coffee in 2013,
it has been the joy and passion of Johnsons Coffee to
continue the ongoing quest to discover new treasures
that we foster to our customers.
In 1916, Robert Johnson said we had to “father the
coffee to the cup” and this responsibility is one still
undertaken with pride by the current custodians of the
brand.
On a global stage, the 25 or so folk employed directly
by Johnsons Coffee play only a small part, but we
remain true to the maxim instilled in the business a
century ago, to produce coffees of true excellence and
distinction...a world of coffee, locally roasted.
Philip Mills
Johnsons Coffee
For more information visit www.johnsonscoffee.com
74
chocolate & coffee parfait with
tonka bean ice cream
For the parfait
280g dark chocolate
150ml strong coffee
460ml cream
6 egg yolks
180g sugar
For the ice cream
5 egg yolks
600ml single cream
135g caster sugar
1 tonka bean, grated (or the seeds scraped from
one vanilla pod)
Parfait
Melt the broken chocolate along with the coffee
and 60ml of the cream in a bowl placed over
a pan of hot simmering water. Allow to cool.
Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and
creamy, then add the cooled melted chocolate
mixture and combine well. Whip 400ml of cream
and then carefully fold it into the chocolate
mixture. Pour into moulds or a terrine and leave in
the fridge to set.
Ice cream
Heat the cream with the grated tonka bean or vanilla
seeds in a saucepan over a medium heat. Do not allow
to boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to infuse
for 10 minutes. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks
with the sugar until well combined and then slowly
pour on the hot cream, stirring all the time, until well
combined.
Rinse out the saucepan, return the custard and gently
heat, stirring all the time, until it coats the back of the
spoon. Allow to cool before churning in an ice cream
maker until set.
To serve
Unmould the parfait onto a serving plate and decorate
with quenelles of the tonka bean ice cream and a good
quality chocolate sorbet (shop bought is fine).
75
beef & bellagio stew
Enjoy a beef stew with an unusual coffee twist using
mostly store cupboard ingredients…
76
bellagio frangelico ice cream
A very simple but delicious dessert!
4 shots of tepid Bellagio espresso coffee
4 scoops of good quality vanilla ice cream
40ml Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
4 tbsp hazelnuts, toasted & finely chopped
4 biscotti
Pour a shot of the Bellagio coffee into four nice
serving glasses. Top each with a scoop of ice
cream and pour over equal measures of the
Frangelico liqueur. Sprinkle on the chopped nuts
and serve with the biscotti.
Tuck in and enjoy.
1kg rump beef, diced
2 tbsp plain flour
salt & pepper
½ tsp paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
300ml chicken stock
200ml Bellagio coffee
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 sprig thyme
1 clove garlic, sliced
3 carrots, peeled & diced
2 potatoes, peeled & diced
½ turnip, peeled & diced
24 baby onions
2 celery sticks, diced
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced for garnish
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan until smoking. Mix
the flour with the paprika, salt and pepper and lightly
dust the beef. Fry the beef until sealed and brown. Pour
in the stock and coffee, scraping up any bits from the
bottom of the pan.
Pour into a casserole dish and add the Worcestershire
sauce, soy sauce, sugar, thyme, garlic and baby onions.
Cover and cook on the hob or in a pre-heated oven at
160°c for 1½-2 hours, until the meat is very tender.
Remove the stew from the oven and strain off the
sauce into a saucepan, reserving the beef. Add the
remaining diced vegetables and cook in the sauce
until tender, then return the beef to the sauce and
vegetables and heat through.
Serve as illustrated with chopped parsley and sliced
onions.
77
roast halibut, jerusalem artichoke,
clams, oxtail, herbs & red wine
brabazon
Tankardstown, Rathkenny, Slane, Co Meath
t: 041 9824 621 e: info@tankardstown.ie
www.tankardstown.ie
For the halibut
4 x 120g halibut portions, skin removed
2 tbsp butter
12 clams, rinsed
30ml white wine
RICHARD LUCKEY
78
For the oxtail
200g oxtail
1 tbsp olive oil
50ml red wine
1 sprig thyme
water to cover
For the Jerusalem artichoke purée & crisps
10 Jerusalem artichokes
50ml fresh cream
salt & pepper
oil for deep frying
sea salt
For the herb crust
6 slices white bread, crusts removed
80g flat leaf parsley
30g tarragon
40g chervil
40g chives
200g melted butter
For the red wine sauce
200ml red wine
50ml fish stock
10g butter
Richard Luckey, Head Chef at the
impressive 18th century County
Meath manor house, Tankardstown,
is committed to producing homegrown food with clarity of flavour…
Richard Luckey has been at the helm
of the kitchens in Tankardstown
since 2010. His journey to the
head chef position at the Brabazon
Restaurant was taken via such fine
establishments as Raymond Blanc’s
Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in
Oxfordshire. Blanc taught him to use
the best local ingredients he could
find and not to mess around with
them too much.
quadrupled in size in the past few
years.
“It’s really coming into its own and
producing some amazing fruits and
vegetables,” says Richard. “As a chef,
there is nothing better than planning
dishes with your gardener, six to ten
months ahead. The anticipation of
waiting for the produce to be just
perfect is inspiring.”
“I have built up a very close
relationship with some brilliantly
talented and passionate local
producers,” states Richard.
The menus depend on what their
forager turns up with that day, but
you can expect dishes like chilled
Clogherhead crab cannelloni with
smoked eel, avocado purée, defrosted
cucumber and tomato water. A main
course offering might be slow cooked
pork belly, glazed cheek, turnips, little
beets, fennel, raw fig and burnt apple
purée.
That said, he doesn’t have to look
very far for many of his ingredients.
The kitchen garden provides a bounty
of produce, year round, and has
There are a lot of ingredients for sure,
but Richard says his style has become
a lot less fussy and a lot more natural
over the years.
“It is still based heavily on classic
flavour combinations, but I like to
strip back and lighten dishes wherever
possible,” he says.
“I’m not into heavy sauces and
unnecessary garnishes. Let the food
speak for itself and let the natural
flavours come through.”
I like to
strip back
and lighten
the dishes
wherever
possible.
Oxtail
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the oxtail over a
medium heat for 10 minutes until brown all over.
Remove the oxtail to an oven-proof casserole dish.
Return the pan to the heat and add the red wine,
scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.
Pour over the oxtail and add the thyme and enough
water to cover; season well. Cover the casserole dish
with a lid and cook in an oven at 140°c for 3-4 hours
until the meat falls off the bones. Allow to cool and
then pick all the meat from the bones; reserve and keep
warm.
Jerusalem artichoke purée & crisps
Wash the artichokes and roast them in a hot oven at
180°c for 15-20 minutes until tender. Allow to cool
and then cut them in half and scoop out the flesh into
a saucepan. Reserve the skins. Add the cream to the
artichokes, heat to boiling point and then transfer to
a food processor and blend until smooth. Season well
and reserve. Heat the oil in the deep fat fryer to 140°c
and fry the artichoke skins until crispy. Drain on kitchen
paper and season with sea salt.
Herb crust
Tear the bread slices into a food processor and pulse
to make crumbs. Add the herbs and pulse a few times
until the mixture turns green. Gradually add the melted
butter to form a paste. Turn the crumb paste out onto
a sheet of baking parchment, top with another sheet
of parchment and roll out the paste to 3mm thickness.
Place in a fridge to set.
Red wine sauce
Pour the red wine into a saucepan and boil over a high
heat for 10 minutes, or until syrupy. Add the fish stock
and return to the boil again until reduced by half. Whisk
in the butter and keep warm.
Halibut & clams
Heat the butter until foaming in a non-stick frying pan
and fry the fish for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove
the fish to a grill pan and top each piece of fish with a
slice of the herb crust cut to the same size as the top of
the fish. Place under a medium grill to soften and heat
the crumb paste. Steam the clams in a saucepan with
the white wine until they open.
To serve
Serve the clams in their shells with the fish surrounded
with warm artichoke purée, the oxtail meat and sauce,
as illustrated.
79
glazed pork cheek & slow cooked
jowl with figs & fennel
(this recipe needs to be started 4 days ahead)
For the pork jowl
1 pork jowl
500ml duck fat
80
For the brine
200g brown sugar
200g coarse sea salt
400ml water
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp juniper berries
For the pork cheek
2 pork cheeks, trimmed & cut in half
sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 banana shallot, skin on & chopped
1 garlic bulb, cut in half
1 sprig thyme
170ml white wine
500ml good quality beef stock
Brine & pork jowl
Mix all the ingredients for the brine in a bowl and add
the jowl; cover and leave to cure in the fridge for 24
hours. Remove from the brine and rinse well under cold
running water. Place the jowl in a small oven-proof dish
and pour over the duck fat to cover and cook in a very
low oven at 80°c for 36 hours. When cooked, it should
be very soft and gelatinous. Remove from the duck fat
and lightly press it between two plates in the fridge
for up to 12 hours. When chilled, cut the jowl into 4
portions for later.
Pork cheek
Heat the oil in a frying pan, season the cheeks and
fry them over high heat until browned all over. Add
the shallot, garlic and thyme and continue to fry until
coloured. Add the white wine and bubble to reduce by
half. Pour in the beef stock and bring back to the boil,
then transfer everything to an oven-proof casserole
dish, cover tightly with foil and cook in a preheated
oven at 180°c for 2-3 hours until tender.
To serve
Warm the pork cheek in a pan in some of its cooking
liquid and fry the portions of pork jowl in a non-stick
frying pan to heat through. We serve the jowl and cheek
on a plate, as illustrated, with fresh figs and a fennel
purée, made simply by braising chopped fennel in some
seasoned cream until tender and blending until smooth.
chocolate tart with hazelnut purée
& raspberry sorbet
For the tart
225g flour, plus extra & dusting
pinch of salt
150g butter
75g caster sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk, beaten
600ml fresh cream
4 tbsp liquid glucose
1kg top quality 70% cocoa chocolate
For the hazelnut purée
300g blanched hazelnuts
150g sugar
150ml water
100ml cream
130g clarified butter (melted & fat solids removed)
2 hours. When chilled, roll out the pastry on a lightly
floured surface to 2mm thickness. Lay the pastry into
a greased 18cm flan ring placed on a baking sheet.
Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking
beans. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the beans and
parchment paper and continue to bake for a further 10
minutes or until crisp and golden. Allow to cool.
Pour the cream and glucose into a saucepan and bring
to the boil. Break the chocolate into a bowl and pour
over the hot cream and clarified butter. Stir until well
combined and leave to cool slightly. Pour the chocolate
into the cool tart shell and allow to set at room
temperature.
Chocolate tart
Preheat the oven to 170°c
Hazelnut purée
Combine the hazelnuts, sugar and water in a saucepan
and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for
15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool
slightly. Pour the mix into a liquidiser, along with the
cream, and blend until smooth for about 5 minutes.
Place the purée in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to
use.
In a bowl, rub together the flour, salt and butter
until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar
and gradually add the beaten eggs to form a ball of
pastry. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for
To serve
Serve a slice of the tart on a plate with the hazelnut
purée and a scoop of good quality raspberry sorbet
(bought is fine).
81
donegal beef fillet with sautéed spinach,
asparagus & creamy peppercorn sauce
restaurant sage
41 Port Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
t: 074 910 2269 e: restaurantsagelk@gmail.com
www.sagelk.com
MARTIN HERNANDEZ
4 x 220g beef fillets
200g asparagus
100g fresh spinach
2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed Oil
20g black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
500ml good beef stock
100ml fresh cream
salt
Fillet steaks
Preheat the oven to 200°c.
82
Heat the oil in an oven-proof frying pan until smoking hot. Sear the
steaks for 2-3 minutes on both sides and then transfer the pan to
the oven and roast until cooked to your liking (eg 5 minutes for rare).
Remove from the oven, transfer the steaks to a warm plate and keep
warm until ready to serve.
Pepper sauce
Pour the excess oil from the pan used to cook the steaks and brown
the crushed peppercorns over medium heat until nearly burnt. Add
the beef stock to the pan and whisk until the crispy bits release from
the bottom of the pan. Allow to boil and reduce by half over mediumhigh heat. Add the cream, whisking continually, until the sauce
thickens.
To serve
We like to serve the steaks and pepper sauce with spinach sautéed in
Donegal Rapeseed Oil and poached buttered asparagus.
An exciting new dining experience
has opened in Letterkenny, where
Restaurant Sage is creating quite a
stir on the local restaurant scene…
Despite only opening in November,
word of mouth recommendations
have already seen Restaurant Sage
shoot up the ranks of TripAdvisor
and develop an outstanding
reputation. Proprietor Garvan
Gallagher is delighted at the
response.
“Sage uses only the highest quality
ingredients, sourced only from local
suppliers within a 20-mile radius and
served in a contemporary but very
relaxed setting,” explains Garvan.
“With our exciting head chef Martin
Hernandez running the kitchen, me
taking care of front-of-house and
a young, vibrant and enthusiastic
team, we aim to give people a full
and varied dining experience.
Award-winning head chef Martin
Hernandez hails from Mexico and
has trained at Nevin Maguire’s
famous McNean House, as well
as Michelin-starred restaurants in
London.
His food is a beautiful mix of
Mexican and contemporary Irish and
he isn’t afraid to try new things. That
keeps his food very exciting.
“I am happy to be part of Sage,”
Martin says. “The quality of
ingredients that we use in the
kitchen are by far the best we have
here in County Donegal. We are very
proud of using only locally sourced
produce. Our scallops come from
Carrigart, the lamb and beef we
use is from McCarron’s in Raphoe,
and poultry comes from Noone’s
in Clonmany. Here at Sage we are
very lucky to have this standard of
produce on our doorstep.”
We aim to
give people
a full and
varied dining
experience.
83
pan-seared scallops with honeyglazed slow cooked pork belly &
cauliflower purée
84
12 king scallops, corals removed
4 x 50g pork belly squares
1 ltr water
1 bay leaf
1½ cardamom pods, crushed
½ cinnamon stick
salt & pepper
1 small cauliflower
500ml milk
35g butter
1 tbsp honey
10g butter
salt & pepper
Pork belly
Preheat the oven to 140°c and place the pork, water,
spices and seasoning in a deep oven tray and cover
tightly with tin foil. Slow cook it for 3-3½ hours until
the meat is very tender. Remove the pork belly from
the tray and place into another roasting tray. Place
another, smaller roasting tray on top of the pork and
weigh it down with a bag of sugar or tins of beans.
Chill in the fridge overnight. Then portion into smaller
square pieces.
Cauliflower purée
Place the cauliflower in a saucepan and cover with milk,
then simmer over a low heat until cooked and soft. Add
25g of butter and season well. Then, blend everything
to make a smooth purée and keep warm.
To serve
Reheat the squares of pork belly by frying in some
melted butter in a non-stick frying pan for 2 minutes
on each side. Remove and keep warm and then fry the
scallops in the same pan for 2 minutes on each side,
until caramelised. Make the honey glaze by heating the
honey and 10g butter in a saucepan until the butter has
melted. Place some cauliflower purée on a plate and
top with the pork and scallops. Drizzle with warm honey
glaze and enjoy!
roasted donegal salmon fillet served
with beetroot purée, lemon butter
emulsion & diced winter vegetables
4 x 200g salmon fillets, skin on
salt & pepper
3 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed Oil
200g cooked beetroot
100ml water
50ml fresh cream
300g butter
juice of 1 lemon
50g mixed winter vegetables, diced (carrots, celeriac,
cabbage, etc)
Beetroot purée
Place the cooked beetroot in a small saucepan over
medium to high heat and add the water, salt and
pepper. Bring to the boil for 5 minutes and then blend
in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and
keep warm.
Salmon
Preheat the oven to 200°c.
Heat the oil in an oven-proof frying pan over medium
heat and fry the salmon fillets, skin side down, for 2
minutes. Season well and then transfer the pan to
the oven to roast the salmon for 4-5 minutes, or until
cooked to your liking.
Lemon butter emulsion
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and warm over a
low heat. Add the butter, lemon juice and salt, stir until
well combined and keep warm until ready to serve.
To serve
Serve the salmon, as illustrated, on a bed of steamed
winter vegetables surrounded with the beetroot purée.
85
assiette of homemade desserts
(light chocolate mousse, sticky toffee
pudding & vanilla ice cream almond
clusters)
For the chocolate mousse
115g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa
35g caster sugar
2 eggs, separated
150ml fresh cream, lightly whipped
86
For the sticky toffee pudding
260g dates
260g plain flour
450ml water
260g caster sugar
3 eggs
75g butter, softened
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the toffee sauce
100ml cream
50g brown sugar
25g butter
For the almond cluster
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
25g slivered almonds, lightly toasted
Chocolate mousse
Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a
heat-proof glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering
water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water.
Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally;
remove from heat and cool slightly. In a separate bowl,
whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale and fluffy and
then whisk in the melted chocolate. Fold in the whipped
cream until well combined and pour the mousse into
individual shot glasses and transfer to the fridge to set.
Sticky toffee pudding
Preheat the oven to 180°c. Place the dates, bicarbonate
of soda and water into a large saucepan and bring
to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from
heat and allow to cool. Use a hand blender and blitz
the mixture to a coarse consistency. In a bowl, cream
together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs
and sieve in the flour. Pour in the cooled date mixture
and combine well. Pour the batter into a greased and
lined oven-proof dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Toffee sauce
Place the butter and sugar in a small pan over high
heat, stirring to form a caramel. Pour in the cream (be
careful as it will bubble up) and stir well.
Almond clusters
Crush the toasted almonds and place in a bowl. Drop
the ice cream scoops into the nuts and roll into four
balls. Place in the freezer until ready to serve.
To serve
Serve a square of the warm sticky toffee pudding topped
with the sauce on a plate with a frozen nut cluster and a
shot glass of chocolate mousse.
silver hill duck breast served with
potato gratin & orange reduction
4 Silver Hill duck breasts
500g rooster potatoes, peeled
4 garlic cloves, crushed
250ml fresh cream
250ml milk
500ml orange juice
250ml good quality beef stock
salt & pepper
Potato gratin
Thinly slice the potatoes and spread them out in a
deep oven-proof dish. Mix together the cream, milk
and garlic, pour over the potatoes and season very
well. Cover with tin foil, place in a preheated oven at
180°c and bake for 45-50 minutes until the potatoes
are tender. Remove the tin foil and bake for a further 10
minutes to brown.
Duck breasts
Season the breasts with salt and pepper and place
them skin side down in the oil in a hot oven-proof frying
pan for 2 minutes and then turn over and fry for a
further 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to a preheated oven
at 180°c for 5-7 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest, covered with
foil, for 4-5 minutes.
Orange reduction
Pour the orange juice and beef stock into a mediumsized saucepan and boil over high heat for 25-30
minutes until it has reduced by half and is syrupy.
To serve
Use a round scone cutter to cut a portion of the potato
gratin and place with the duck breasts on a plate with a
drizzle of the orange reduction. At our restaurant, we like
to serve shredded savoy cabbage sautéed in butter with
this dish.
87
safa
tynedale goat kid tika
30-32 Bank Street, Belfast BT1 1HL
t: 028 9023 3519 e: contact@safabelfast.com
www.safabelfast.com
ALI ASKIR
88
A contemporary Indian restaurant
located in the centre of Belfast,
Safa uses authentic Indian recipes
and traditional cooking methods to
deliver a unique taste experience…
Chef proprietor Ali Askir has serious
pedigree. He started his chef
training in 1987 in a restaurant in
Manchester called Assam Gourmet
under the master chef guru Alok
Das. Within four years he was head
chef.
He came to Northern Ireland in
1991 and worked at the Jharna on
Belfast’s Lisburn Road.
He opened Safa in 2011 and in a few
short years, it’s now consistently
occupying the No 1 slot for Belfast
restaurants on TripAdvisor.
“I wanted to cook the authentic
Indian food that I felt was missing in
Northern Ireland,” says Ali. “I grind
all my own spices and I’m a real
stickler for using the best, freshest
ingredients I can source locally.”
The most popular dishes are the
chicken chaat starter and the fiery
chicken chettined main, but Ali
wants to bring a new meat to his
customers, which he says goes
extremely well with curry.
“I’m really excited about it, actually.
I’m getting supplied with Tynedale
goat kid meat from William Haire
and Sarah Long who graze goat kids
on Divis Mountain. I’ll be doing some
amazing curries but I’ll also be doing
some specials with the chops and
other cuts,” says Ali.
“I think it’ll go down really well. After
all, goat meat is the most widely
eaten meat in the world. It’s just a
case of people trying it and getting
used to it.”
Ali is also something of a wine buff,
and he loves pairing wines with
Indian food. Until now, those wines
have come from mainland Europe
and the New World, but soon he
hopes to introduce some exciting
new wines from one of the world’s
fastest growing wine regions. Watch
this space!
I’m using
Tynedale
goat kid to
make some
amazing
curries.
For the goat kid tikka
600g diced Tynedale goat shoulder, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 inch ginger, grated
salt
300g natural yogurt
1tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric
mustard oil
2 tsp mustard paste
2 tsp mixed pickle
2 tsp mint paste
1 tsp garam masala
juice of ½ lemon
Marinate all the ingredients with the
goat kid shoulder overnight, to infuse
the flavours. When ready to cook,
skewer the goat and cook in an oven
at 170-180°c, turning every 2 minutes.
This should take 7-10 minutes,
depending on how well done you want
your meat cooked.
Serve with rice.
89
tynedale goat kid jalfrezi
90
sunflower oil
2 onions, finely diced
3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 inch of ginger, grated
300g cubed Tynedale goat kid shoulder
2 tsp mixed curry powder (or to your taste)
1 green chilli, finely diced (less if you prefer less heat)
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1½ tins of tomatoes
salt
1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
Put around 1 tablespoonful of oil in a hot pan and add
the onions, cooking out for a few minutes to soften,
without taking any colour. Add in the garlic and ginger,
followed by the goat, and cook for around 8-10 minutes,
again, not allowing the onions to take colour.
Add the chilli, mixed peppers and curry powder and
sauté for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and allow
to gently simmer for 5-10 minutes.
To serve
Dish up with some of your favourite rice and naan bread
and dress with the chopped coriander.
chicken tikka masala
For the sauce
600g plum tomatoes (1½ tins)
2 tbsp jaggery goor (or sugar)
1 large red pepper, finely diced & de-seeded
3 tsp mixed curry powder
1½ tsp garam masala
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cinnamon powder
200g cashew nuts
knob of butter to taste
For the chicken tikka
2 large chicken breasts, diced to cubes
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 inches ginger, grated
½ tbsp dried garden mint
1 tbsp mustard paste
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp paprika
pinch methi leaves
salt to taste
1 tbsp mixed pickle, onion, cauliflower etc.
200g natural yogurt
single cream to finish, optional
Sauce
Place all the sauce ingredients into a pan and boil to
soften, then blitz to form a sauce.
Chicken tikka
Mix all the ingredients with the chicken and leave
overnight to infuse the flavours. Skewer the chicken
cubes and cook on a barbeque, turning regularly so
as not to burn. Alternatively, this process can be done
under a grill.
To serve
Simply add the chicken to the sauce and serve with your
favourite rice or naan bread. You may like to finish the
sauce with a dash of cream to your taste.
91
the classic winebar
48 Main Street, Limavady BT49 0EU
t: 028 7776 3676 e: info@theclassicrestaurant.com
www.theclassicrestaurant.com
MARTY GETTY
92
crispy belly of pork, black pudding,
scotch eggs & red wine sauce
For the pork belly
2kg pork belly, boned with skin on & scored
1 large carrot, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 leek, trimmed & diced
salt & pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp Chinese five spice
850ml fresh apple juice
200ml water
2 tbsp olive oil
12 thick slices of black pudding
For the scotch egg
4 large free-range eggs
275g good quality sausage meat
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp English mustard
salt & pepper
125g plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
150g white bread crumbs
vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Pork belly
Preheat the oven to 150°c/gas mark 2
Put the pork belly, sitting on top of the vegetables and
herbs, in a large oven-proof dish. Pour in the apple juice
and enough water to come halfway to the sides of the
dish. Season well and add the star anise and Chinese five
spice. Cover tightly with tin foil and slow roast for 4-5
Enjoy an internationally influenced
culinary experience with Marty
Getty at The Classic wine bar and
restaurant in Limavady...
Head Chef Proprietor Marty Getty
has trotted the globe for some of the
dishes he serves at the ever popular
Classic wine bar in Limavady. He has
taken much time and care to create a
menu incorporating a fusion of dishes
and flavours from around the world,
all made with the best quality locallysourced produce.
Marty was trained in the classics at
North West Regional College in L’Derry
and his first job was at the awardwinning Kee’s Hotel in Stranorlar.
“After that, I moved into fine dining
but I also love Thai food so that’s how
all of those influences came to be
there on the menu,” says Marty.
He co-owns The Classic with
Restaurant Manager, Kerry Scullion
and says he likes to think of The
Classic as an ‘eatertainment’ venue.
This is wine bar style food inspired
by Marty’s decades of experience in
places like the Michelin-starred Bank
in Birmingham, The Exchange in
L’Derry and Avenue in Monaghan.
The Classic is an ideal venue for
weddings, business seminars and
family celebrations. The Sunday
Carvery (served from 12noon-3.30pm)
is extremely popular, as is the ‘Thank
You’ menu served from Tuesday to
Sunday 5pm-7pm, with main courses
from £9 and desserts from £3.
The Food-to-Go menu has gone down
a storm. It’s a smaller version of the
restaurant menu, but it means you
can enjoy The Classic experience
in the comfort of your own home.
“It’s prepared by the same team of
professional chefs so customers can
be assured of getting the same high
quality,” says Marty.
Marty and Kerry are really excited
about the latest incarnation of
The Classic. The Classic Bistro in
Springtown Business Park in L’Derry
does great breakfasts and lunches
with takeaway and outside catering
options available. Classic for a reason.
I like to think of
The Classic as an
“eatertainment”
venue.
hours until tender. Remove from the oven, reserving the
liquid, and allow to cool. Place the pork on a tray and put
weights on top to press for 24 hours. Keep in the fridge.
Slice the belly into rectangular portions. Heat the oil in an
oven-proof frying pan over medium heat and fry the pork
pieces on both sides for 2 minutes and then transfer to
the oven for 7 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove the
pork from the pan and keep warm. In the same pan, fry the
black pudding slices for a few minutes on each side until
cooked and keep warm with the pork. Reserve the warm
juices from the pan for serving.
Scotch eggs
Place the four eggs in a saucepan of cold water. Place over
a high heat and bring to the boil for 3-4 minutes; drain
and cool the eggs under cold running water, then peel. Mix
the sausage meat with the herbs, nutmeg and mustard
and season very well. Divide the sausage meat into 4 and
flatten each out on a clean surface.
Season the flour and place on a plate, then dredge each
boiled egg in the flour. Place each onto a sausage meat
oval, then wrap the meat around each egg. Make sure
the meat is smooth and completely covers each egg. Roll
the eggs again in the flour and dip each sausage meat
covered egg in the beaten egg. Then, dip and roll into the
breadcrumbs to completely cover. Repeat this breading
process again.
Carefully place each scotch egg into the hot oil and fry for 4
minutes, then remove onto a baking tray and finish cooking
in a medium hot oven for 6 minutes.
To serve
Arrange 3 slices of black pudding on each plate and top with
pieces of the crispy pork belly, scotch egg (cut in half) and
drizzle with the reserved pan juices. Enjoy!
93
roasted monkfish marinated in
champagne & chinese honey with
black sesame seeds, served with
infused jasmine rice & a basil, lime &
ginger syrup
94
For the monkfish
4 monkfish tails, filleted & cut in half
250ml champagne
4 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
3 tbsp vegetable oil
For the basil, lime, ginger & chilli syrup
400g caster sugar
900ml water
100ml white wine
juice of 4 limes
1 red chilli, finely chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
30g pickled ginger, finely chopped
100g fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Monkfish
Combine the champagne and honey in a bowl. Spread
the sesame seeds out on a baking sheet and roll the
monkfish pieces in the seeds to coat all over. Add the
fish to the champagne, cover with cling film and leave
to marinate in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Preheat
an oven to 190°c and remove the fish from the fridge.
Drain the fish from the marinade and pat dry with a
paper towel. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over
medium heat and fry the monkfish pieces until golden,
taking care not to burn. Transfer the fish to a baking
tray and bake in the oven for 6-7 minutes.
Basil and lime syrup
Heat the sugar, water, wine and half of the lime juice
in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and
then simmer until reduced and syrupy for 20 minutes;
strain through a fine sieve and allow the syrup to cool.
Add the chillies, spring onions and pickled ginger to the
cooled syrup along with the remaining lime juice, basil,
honey and sweet chilli sauce. Pour into a food processor
and blend until smooth.
To serve
We like to serve the monkfish as illustrated with stir fried
Asian vegetables and jasmine rice, drizzled with the basil
and lime syrup.
crispy lemongrass chicken, with thaistyle stir fry, mango purée, wasabi,
coriander & lime mayo
For the crispy chicken
4 skinless & boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 bunches lemongrass, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
50g coriander, chopped
5 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 large tub natural yogurt
2 tbsp light soy sauce
juice of 4 lemons
20g rice flour
salt & pepper
oil for deep frying
For the lime mayo
100g fresh coriander, chopped
300g mayonnaise
juice of 3 limes
1 tsp wasabi paste
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt & pepper
For the mango & chilli jam
2 mangoes, peeled, stoned & chopped
4 red chillies, chopped
150ml red wine vinegar
3 tbsp redcurrant jelly
400g caster sugar
4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Crispy chicken
Place the lemongrass, chillies and coriander in a food
processor and blend for 1 minute. Add half the curry
powder, half the turmeric and all of the soy sauce.
Blend again until smooth and finally add the yogurt and
mix well until combined.
Pour the marinade over the chicken slices, cover with
cling film and leave to marinate in a fridge for 6-12
hours. Drain any excess marinade off the chicken and
toss the slices in the rice flour that has been seasoned
with the remaining curry powder, turmeric, salt and
pepper. Shake off any excess flour and fry in a deep-fat
fryer at 180°c for 3-4 minutes until cooked and golden
brown. Keep warm in a preheated oven until ready to
serve.
Lime mayo
Put all the ingredients, except the mayonnaise, into a
food processor and blend. Add the mayonnaise and
blend again (add some water to the blender if the mayo
is too thick). Store in a ‘squeezy bottle’ in the fridge.
Mango & chilli jam
Slowly simmer all the ingredients in a heavy-based
saucepan over a medium heat for 1½ hours. Blend in
a food processor or with a hand blender until smooth.
Reserve.
To serve
We like to dress the plate with dots of wasabi mayo
and mango and chilli jam as illustrated, and then we
place the crispy chicken slices on some stir fried Asian
vegetables.
95
ditty’s home bakery
a popular ditty indeed!
96
97
His oatcakes have been eaten by the Queen when she
visited Dublin Castle and he was crowned Britain’s Best
Baker in 2012.
There’s not much Robert Ditty doesn’t know about flour
and yeast - and myriad other baking ingredients besides.
A second generation artisan baker, his shop and café
in the mid-Ulster village of Castledawson is always
busy with people coming to buy his soda breads and
pineapple creams (the sister bakery/café in Magherafelt
is equally busy).
Locals know that from 3am the bakers are hard at work
on the soda farls, potato and wheaten breads that are
shipped far and wide. It’s safe to say Ditty’s Bakery is
famous all over Ireland and beyond and its oatcakes
are sold from Castledawson to Sydney. That success
has come from Robert’s dedication to using traditional
methods and ingredients, but also from his close
collaboration with producers like Gubbeen Cheese and
Belvelly Smoke House.
Now he’s ready to hand over the mantle to the third
generation - his nephew, Clifford Brimley.
“I’ve been in this bakery since I was knee-high, but
I’ve been 17 years full-time,” explains Clifford. “I’m
delighted to be carrying on the family business. I love
baking and I suppose what I love most of all is seeing
the end product that results from using great quality
ingredients. Inferior ingredients just won’t give you the
same result.”
The craft baking gene is obviously in the blood, with
Clifford currently working on more new flavours for
those famous oatcakes.
One of his favourite things to eat is the sourdough
bread made at the bakery, but like his uncle, chocolate
is also close to his heart.
That’s why they’re both so excited about their next
venture - bespoke chocolates made in front of your
eyes. Customers will be able to choose up to 12 flavours
and see them being created. Talk about food theatre!
“We’re re-designing the whole shop in Castledawson
and we think this concept will really work,” says
Clifford. “We’ll still be doing all the other stuff, but this
is something different. You always have to be one step
ahead in this business.”
For more information tel 028 7946 8243
www.dittysbakery.com
ditty’s irish oatcake tiramisu
1 pkt Ditty’s oatcakes
3 shots espresso
50ml Sambuca
250g mascarpone
50g caster sugar
100ml double cream
100gm amarena cherries
cocoa powder to dust
Boil the espresso, sugar and Sambuca together and
reduce by a third. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Beat
half the coffee syrup into the mascarpone and then fold
in the cream. Use the other half to dunk the oatcakes
into, but don’t leave them immersed as they will go soft
and take on too much flavour..
To serve
Layer the mascarpone mixture followed by the ‘dunked’
oatcakes and cherries, finishing with the mascarpone.
Dust well with cocoa powder.
soda farls (griddle)
450g soda bread flour or self-raising flour
pinch of salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
420-450ml buttermilk
98
99
Preheat the griddle or a heavy-based frying pan on a
medium or low heat. Sift the flour and the salt several
times together into a bowl. Make a well in the centre
and pour in the oil and buttermilk. Work quickly to mix
into a dough and knead very lightly on a well-floured
surface.
Divide the mixture into two and then form each piece
into a flattened circle and cut into quarters (they could
also be cut into 1 inch rounds for canapés). Sprinkle a
little flour over the base of the griddle or pan and cook
the farls for 4-6 minutes on each side.
potato bread
250g warm cooked potatoes
75g white flour
2 tbsp melted butter or olive oil
pinch of salt
Mash the potatoes and allow to cool. Sift the flour and
salt together and add to the cooled potatoes with
the melted butter or olive oil. Knead lightly into a soft
dough and pin into traditional squares or triangles.
Cook in a preheated griddle or frying pan until golden
brown on each side.
For the ultimate potato bread, serve as part of an Ulster
fry by frying the potato bread in the same pan the
bacon has been fried in.
Variations to the basic recipe
• Apple potato bread – pin out the dough into a round,
place a large spoonful of stewed apple in the centre
and fold over to make a turnover. Bake on the griddle
until golden.
• A
dd 30g of pin-head oatmeal or 40g of grated
cheese to the above recipe, shape as desired and
bake on hot griddle.
• F or a dinner party, shape the potato dough into 1
inch circles, approximately 1.5 inches thick, bake
on the griddle and serve topped with bacon and
relish, black pudding and homemade brown sauce or
sautéed scallops.
tynedale goat kid
just kidding!
100
For centuries, the most widely consumed meat in the
world, goat meat is fast becoming a favourite in Northern
Ireland thanks to the dedication of Sarah Long and
William Haire at Loughview Farm in Crumlin, County
Antrim.
Tynedale goat kid meat is a healthy choice, providing
the benefits of a succulent, lean meat that’s low in
cholesterol and high in iron, with a taste that has wide
appeal (something between venison and beef).
“Our meat is produced to the highest standards of
animal husbandry and traceability,” explains Sarah. “We
use quality male kids sourced from leading local dairy
breeders, reared by us at Tynedale, and since starting up
in 2012, the business has been continuously expanding.”
With support from leading Ulster chefs, Tynedale goat kid
meat is even outselling beef in some restaurants! It can
also be bought at quality butchers and delicatessens,
offering cuts that are very similar to beef. Leg and leg
cuts, rump, loin, rack, shoulder and diced goat meat
are all available and Sarah and William are currently
working on new product lines such as sausage and
chorizo.
From curries and casseroles to traditional roasts and
sausages, goat kid meat offers a tender, tasty option,
full of flavour and with the guarantee of sustainability
for the future.
For more information tel 07725 653 233 or visit
www.tynedalegoatkid.com
To help introduce you to this wonderful new taste, we
asked our resident chef Stevie Higginson, along with chef
Ali Askir from Safa Indian restaurant to come up with
some seriously tempting recipes for you to try...
tynedale goat kid with herb crust & a
pine nut & blue cheese tart
1 loin of Tynedale goat kid
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
100g grated parmesan
olive oil
300g breadcrumbs
1 pkt puff pastry
100g pine nuts
100g Cashel Blue cheese
12 shallots
1 large red cabbage
100ml red wine vinegar
100g demerara sugar
salt & pepper
Thinly slice a large red cabbage, mix it with the vinegar
and 1 cup of sugar. Put in an oven-proof dish, cover and
braise at 150°c for 1½ hours.
Herb crust
In a food processor, mix the parsley, parmesan,
breadcrumbs, salt and pepper with just enough olive oil
to bind.
Cook the puff pastry between 2 sheets of greaseproof
paper with a tray underneath and on top to stop the
pastry from rising; cook until crisp. When cool, cut into
a rectangle.
Cut the shallots in half and peel; fry in a pan to get a
good colour on them and then put into a moderate
oven to soften.
Seal the goat in a hot pan to colour on all sides and
cook at 180°c for 5-7 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes.
This will leave the goat wonderfully pink, the way it
should be eaten, but leave it in for a further 5 minutes if
you prefer.
Arrange the cooked shallots, blue cheese and pine
nuts on the puff pastry and warm in the oven until the
cheese is slightly melted.
To serve
Serve the goat on the red cabbage with the tart on the
side, with champ and gravy.
101
rogan josh
102
300g Tynedale goat kid shoulder
1 large onion, diced
pinch of salt
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
400g tomatoes (tin of chopped will be fine)
1 tsp garlic, finely grated
1 tsp ginger, finely grated
1 tsp oil
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp garam masala
fresh coriander leaves to finish
methi leaves to finish
Place the oil into a hot pan adding the garlic,
ginger and half the onion and stir fry for around
one minute without burning. Now add in your
Tynedale goat kid and a pinch of salt cooking
on a high heat for a couple of minutes to colour
the meat. Be careful not to burn the garlic and
onions.
Add in the peppers, remaining onions and
tomatoes and allow to cook on a medium heat
for a further 5-7 minutes. If necessary add a
little water to loosen the sauce. Add your cumin,
turmeric and garam masala and cook for a
further 10-12 minutes until the goat is nice and
tender.
103
Add the methi leaves and fresh coriander and
warm through.
Serve with rice.
tynedale goat kid biryani
A quick and simple mid week treat.
300g shoulder Tynedale goat kid, diced
600g rice
1 large onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 inch grated ginger
1 tsp mixed curry powder
salt to taste
vegetable gee, or vegetable oil
Cook your chosen rice according to the packet
instructions.
Put some gee into a deep pan and add the
diced onion cooking until translucent but not
coloured. Add the garlic and ginger and cook
for a further minute. Add in the lamb and
gently cook for 7-10 minutes. Season with a
pinch of salt to your taste. Now add the curry
powder and cook for a further minute.
Add your cooked rice and stir all together
ensuring everything is well distributed
throughout the dish, cooking for a further
two minutes until the dish is nicely warmed
through.
You are now ready to plate up and enjoy.
monkfish & slow cooked pork belly
with carrot purée, wild mushrooms,
mushroom pâté & a buttermilk foam
the lemon tree
Lower Main Street, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
t: 074 91 25788 e: lemontreerestaurant@hotmail.com
www.thelemontreerestaurant.com
CHRISTOPHER MOLLOY
For the pork belly
500g pork belly
2 ltr chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
50ml Donegal Rapeseed Oil
2 tbsp runny honey
For the crispy mushroom pâté
250g white button mushrooms, sliced
25g shallots, finely chopped
2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed Oil
½ clove garlic, crushed
salt & pepper
2 eggs
550ml milk
200g panko breadcrumbs
200g flour for dredging
oil for deep frying
104
For the buttermilk foam
50ml milk
50ml double cream
400ml buttermilk
squeeze of lemon juice
4g lecithin powder (available from health food shops)
For the monkfish
2 x monkfish fillets, skinned & boned
2 tbsp butter
salt & pepper
The philosophy at the Lemon Tree
restaurant in Letterkenny is simple
– to serve contemporary Irish food,
inspired by classic French roots…
A family-run business, the Lemon
Tree benefits from having three
talented brothers in the kitchen chefs Christopher, Gary and Thomas
Molloy - with sisters Linda and Trudy
working front-of-house. And far
from displaying any sibling rivalry,
the family have been working in
harmony at the Lemon Tree for some
15 years.
“We all share the same ideas about
cooking,” explains Christopher, who
is also a Euro-toque chef.
“We like to cook classic combinations
of flavours that we know work well
together, with modern methods and
presentation. It’s good for us to be
together in the kitchen. We all know
what we’re doing and we have the
same high standards so even when
one of us is not there, there’s still
that consistency. The rest of the
staff have all been with us for a long
time too, which makes for a nice
atmosphere, both in the kitchen and
front-of-house.”
Taking advantage of the excellent
food larder right on his doorstep,
Christopher sources as much produce
as possible from the local area.
“We like to fly the Donegal flag,” says
Christopher. “For example, we use
Donegal Rapeseed Oil in our cooking.
It has great flavour and it also has
many health benefits. A local man
who grows vegetables and lettuce
in his garden brings us a basketful
every week and our turf-smoked
organic salmon comes from Sue
Cruse & Declan McConnellogue at the
Haven Smokehouse in Carrigart; they
get the salmon fresh from Marine
Harvest in Fanad. The rest of our
fish is sourced from Greencastle and
Killybegs and our meat is supplied by
a local butcher in Ballyare.
“We also serve a range of craft beers
from local breweries - Kinnegar
Brewing, Muckish Mountain Brewery
and Donegal Brewing Company along with an extensive selection of
over 70 wines.”
Passionate about food, passionate
about drinks – it’s got to be a winning
combination.
We like to
cook classic
combinations
of flavours.
Monkfish
Cut the monkfish into medallions and season well with
salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying
pan over medium heat and fry the monkfish until nicely
browned; do not overcook. Baste continuously with the
melted butter. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Pork belly
Heat the oil in a large lidded oven-proof casserole
dish and add the vegetables. Cook until soft, but not
coloured. Pour in the chicken stock, add the herbs and
bring to the boil. Add the pork belly and cover tightly
with a lid. Place in a preheated oven at 150°c for 4-5
hours. Remove the pork (reserve the liquor), place on
a baking sheet with another sheet on top and weigh
down with a few cans of beans or similar. Transfer to
the fridge and leave to press overnight. Then, trim the
pork of excess fat and cut into 12 x 4cm squares. To
reheat the pork squares, place them on a baking tray
and drizzle on some reserved cooking liquor and honey.
Place in a preheated oven at 200°c for 5-8 minutes.
Crispy mushroom pâté
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and
fry the mushrooms and shallots for 3-4 minutes; add
the garlic and season well. Cook until any liquid has
evaporated, transfer to a food processor and blend to
a rough pâté. Remove and allow to cool. Roll the pâté
into 12 even-sized balls and chill in the fridge for a few
minutes. Beat together the eggs and milk in a bowl.
Dredge the balls in the flour, dip into the beaten egg
and then roll in the panko breadcrumbs to evenly coat.
Deep fry the balls in batches until crisp and golden.
Keep warm.
Buttermilk foam
Combine the milk and cream in a saucepan over
medium heat and bring to boiling point. Add the
buttermilk, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and the lecithin powder and, using
a stick blender, blend the milk until frothy and foamlike. Spoon the foam over the monkfish when serving.
To serve
Place the pork belly squares and the monkfish
medallions on a plate along with the mushroom pâté
balls, then drizzle the foam over the fish. We also serve
this dish with baby carrots, carrot purée and a selection
of pan fried wild mushrooms.
105
pavé of chocolate, hazelnut,
honeycomb & honeycomb ice cream
For the chocolate cake base
100g dark chocolate, chopped
100g butter, diced
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
100g plain flour
106
For the chocolate mousse
300g dark chocolate, chopped
4 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
90ml cold water
300ml double cream
100ml milk
For the honeycomb
200g castor sugar
3 tbsp water
½ tbsp baking soda
1½ tbsp glucose syrup
For the honeycomb ice cream
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
100g honeycomb, broken
500ml milk
500ml fresh cream
12 egg yolks
180g castor sugar
Cake base
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of
simmering water until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the
eggs and the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale.
Sift in the flour and mix well, then pour in the chocolate a
third at a time, mixing until well combined. Pour the mixture
onto a non-stick baking sheet and spread out in a circle
shape to ½ cm thick. Transfer to a preheated oven at 230°c
and bake for 5-6 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Place the cake
onto a baking sheet and cut to 20cm diameter using a ring
mould. Trim away any excess cake and leave the ring mould
in place, containing the cake on the baking sheet.
Mousse
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of
simmering water. Allow to cool. In a separate large
bowl, also over a pot of simmering water, whisk
together the yolks, sugar and water until thick and
foamy. Stir in the melted chocolate and cool. Whip
the cream and milk together in another bowl until
soft peaks form. Fold half the whipped cream into the
chocolate mixture and then gradually fold in the rest
until combined. Pour the mousse into the ring mould on
top of the cake and place in the fridge to set.
Honeycomb
Mix the sugar, glucose and water in a deep saucepan
over gentle heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Stop stirring, bring to the boil and simmer until you
have an amber coloured caramel. Quickly remove from
the heat and tip in the baking soda and beat with a
wooden spoon until the mixture is foaming. Pour very
carefully onto a well-oiled or non-stick baking tray.
Allow to cool and harden for an hour or two. Break up
the honeycomb and store in an airtight container until
ready to use.
Honeycomb ice cream
Put the milk, cream, vanilla seeds and pod in a
saucepan and heat until nearly boiling. In a bowl, whisk
the sugar and egg yolks until pale. While whisking,
slowly pour in the hot cream mixture until everything
is combined. Wipe the pan and pour the mixture back
in, then cook over a low heat, stirring all the time until
the mixture has thickened and coats the back of your
spoon. Sieve into a bowl and allow to cool. Churn the
custard in an ice cream machine or place in a bowl and
freeze, whisking every 15 minutes. When the ice cream
is almost set, stir in the honeycomb pieces and freeze.
To serve
Lay a slice of the chocolate pavé on a plate and sprinkle
around some honeycomb pieces. Place a scoop of ice
cream on top of the pavé and decorate with some
bought or homemade chocolate shapes and toasted
hazelnuts.
organic turf-smoked salmon with
textures of beetroot, apple jelly &
watercress
4 x 200g Donegal organic turf-smoked salmon portions
For the beetroot slices
1 small raw beetroot, peeled & finely sliced
For the beetroot purée
500g raw beetroot, diced
200g beetroot juice
15g sugar
salt & pepper
Roast beetroot
Trim the tops of the beetroots and toss them in an
oven-proof dish with the oil, salt and pepper. Wrap the
dish tightly in tin foil and roast in a preheated oven at
180°c for 20-25 minutes until tender. Allow to cool,
then peel and cut into small dice.
Apple jelly
Soften the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water. Heat
the apple juice in a saucepan over medium heat and
add the softened gelatine, whisking until dissolved.
Pour into a tray that has been lined with cling film and
refrigerate until set. Cut into small squares for serving.
For the beetroot meringue
150g beetroot juice
50g sugar
3.5g methycellulose F50 (available online)
0.9g xanthan gum (available online)
Beetroot meringue
Heat the beetroot juice in a saucepan over medium
heat. Transfer to a bowl and add the methylcellulose
and blend with a stick blender. Then add the xanthan
gum and blend again. Using a handheld mixer, whisk
the mixture until it reaches soft meringue-like peaks.
Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small, plain nozzle
and pipe out tiny meringues onto a non-stick baking
tray or silicone mat. Bake in very low oven at 65°c for
4-5 hours.
For the apple jelly
450g apple juice
5 gelatine sheets
Smoked salmon
Warm the smoked salmon portions on a baking tray
in a preheated oven at 160°c for 5-7 minutes.
Beetroot purée Place all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat,
bring to the boil and then simmer gently until the beetroot
is tender. Transfer to a food processor and blend until
smooth and velvety. Season well and cool.
To serve
Decorate the plate as illustrated with the purée
and diced beetroot, topped with the smoked
salmon. Surround with the apple jelly cubes and finely
sliced beetroot. We also like to garnish the plate with
apple cut into matchsticks which complements the dish
very well.
For the roast beetroot
2 raw beetroots, washed
Donegal Rapeseed Oil
salt & pepper
107
sally mcnally’s
91 Markethill Road, Portadown, Co Armagh BT62 3SH
t: 028 3884 0230 e: john@stonebridgegoodfood.com
www.sallymcnallys.com
JOHN McNALLY
108
connoisseur’s choice rib of beef sunday
roast, sally mcnally’s style
(serves 8)
1 whole 5 bone prime Connoisseurs Choice rib of beef
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 bulbs garlic
carrots & onions for the base of the roasting pan
fresh rosemary
seasonal vegetables of your choice
roast potatoes
Yorkshire puddings
horseradish & mustards
watercress
salt & pepper to taste
Connoisseurs’s Choice can prepare an ‘oven ready’ rib of
beef for you. This means the meat will come trimmed of
excess fat and the meat will be tied to keep its shape.
Pre-heat your oven to 220°c.
Season your rib with salt and pepper. Place into the
oven for 20 minutes until the meat has taken a nice
brown colour. Have a few halved carrots and onions
ready to pop under the joint at the bottom of a roasting
tray and then place the seared beef on to this for
protection from direct heat. Sprinkle with some garlic
cloves and chopped rosemary. Cover with tin foil. We
like to cook our beef pink, however you can cook to
your liking. When the meat has achieved an inner
temperature of 56°c, you are done. This will take the
best part of between 4 and 5 hours to reach the desired
temperature. If you like your meat medium, leave it in
for a further 20 minutes and for well done, a further 45
minutes.
Allow the beef to rest for at least 30 minutes covered
loosely with some foil.
To serve
On a warm platter, place your chosen seasonal
vegetables (cauliflower cheese is a must in my book)
and a good rich red wine sauce, with lashings of roasted
potatoes (maris pipers are best) and of course traditional
Yorkshire puddings. Have some horseradish and
mustards also as these are great accompaniments.
Remove the string and the flank from the beef, but keep
the bones for the presentation board. Carve the joint at
the table and allow your guests to help themselves to as
much or as little as they wish.
Happy Sally McNally’s Sunday lunch!
Since its re-branding in December
2011, Sally McNally’s has continued
to establish itself as a premier
country pub and restaurant known
and loved by locals in County
Armagh and customers further
afield…
Operated by John McNally and his
family, the pub developed from a tworoom operation in 2007 to a sprawling
restaurant with lots of inviting nooks
and crannies which have bags full of
charm and character.
Being passionately in charge of his
kitchen, John (with his brigade) has
aggressively developed his menus,
making the most of his local supplier
network.
“Some speak loosely about growing
their own – we just ‘do it’ in our
purpose-built poly-tunnels,” says
John. “This, combined with our loyal
band of suppliers (who we proudly call
friends) ensures that the freshest of
seasonal ingredients are available at
all times. Special mention goes to Ian
Richardson, Andy McKeown, Dolce &
Gelato, Hewitt Meats and many more
– sincerely, thank you. You know who
you are.”
Sally McNally’s (named after John’s
youngest daughter) has carved its
niche in the local hospitality market
around County Armagh and beyond.
Those who want a leisurely pint, great
food without pretention and quality
live music are amongst the reasons
why this establishment is on the
ascendancy.
“All our food is freshly prepared
and cooked to order,” says John.
“We consciously source the most
sustainable fish from local waters and
our steaks are locally sourced and 21
day aged.”
Highly recommended are Sally’s
succulent steaks, the vine tomato
and brie tartlet with dressed rocket
salad, and chef’s beer battered fish
with home-cut fries and pea and
mint purée. But if desserts are your
true desire, then you must try John’s
poached Armagh Bramley apple on
winter berry compote with a rich
butterscotch sauce – simply sublime!
“Sad and clichéd as it may sound but,
and as much I curse it sometimes, I
actually love what I do,” says John.
“The most important thing about my
cooking is being proud of each and
every dish which leaves the pass – if
pride isn’t there, simply don’t do it!”
This
establishment
is on the
ascendancy.
109
slow braised pork belly with fondant
potatoes, baby vegetables, black
pudding ‘bonbons’, armagh cider
reduction
1kg pork belly, off the bone
rough mirepoix of vegetables
300ml chicken stock
330ml Long Meadow cider
sea salt & cracked black pepper
2-3cloves garlic, crushed
110
For the potato fondant
3 large Maris Piper potatoes
butter
chicken stock
For the black pudding ‘bonbons’
300g black pudding
cream
seasoning
flour, eggs & pinhead breadcrumbs to pane
For the cider reduction
rib bones from the pork belly
200ml Long Meadow cider
100ml chicken stock
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
seasoning
butter
Score and season the pork belly and seal well on a
hot non-stick pan. To a roasting tray, add the rough
mirepoix of vegetables, cider, garlic and chicken stock.
Place the pork belly on top of the mirepoix and cover
with tin foil. Place in a preheated oven at 150°c for 3 to
4 hours.
Remove the cooked pork belly onto another tray. Place
another well-weighted tray on top of the pork belly and
once cooled to room temperature place in the fridge
until chilled.
Strain the roasting juices and when cool, skim any
excess fat, setting aside to make a cider reduction later.
Fondant potatoes
Wash and peel the potatoes. Carefully cut the potatoes
into 1 inch cubes. Add approximately 50g of butter to a
hot pan and colour each side until golden brown. Add
the chicken stock to the pan to a level which covers
half of the potato cubes. Cover with parchment paper
and gently simmer for 20-25 minutes until soft in
the middle. Constantly turn the potatoes during the
cooking process and maintain the level of stock at all
times.
Black pudding ‘bonbons’
Place the black pudding (skin off) in a bowl and add
seasoning and cream, then mix well. Roll the mixture
into a small ball and pane in flour, egg wash and
pinhead breadcrumbs. Place in a deep fat fryer at 160°c
until golden brown.
Finally, seal the ribs on a hot pan and add the onion
and garlic. When cooked through, de-glaze the pan
with cider and reduce by half over moderate heat. Add
the stock and skimmed roasting juices and simmer
for a further 15 minutes. Strain the contents of the
pan into a pot and add the butter to finish. Check your
seasoning.
Assemble the dish as illustrated.
poached armagh bramley apple
on winter berry compote with a rich
butterscotch sauce
400ml of good red wine (only cook with it if you would drink it)
250ml Armagh cider
1 vanilla pod, split
1 tsp cinnamon
150g caster sugar
1 orange, zest & juice
2 medium Bramley apples, peeled, cored & cut in half
For the butterscotch sauce
200ml of single cream
160g brown sugar
100g cubed butter
3 tsp vanilla essence
For the compote
200g mixed frozen berries
100g caster sugar
juice of ½ lemon
Apples
Heat the red wine, cider, cinnamon, caster sugar,
orange zest and juice until the sugar dissolves. Add the
apple halves and poach for 15 minutes or until soft – be
careful not to over cook. To ensure an even colouring,
leave the apples in the cooking liquor for a further 45
minutes, then remove and set to one side.
Butterscotch sauce
Place the sugar, butter, cream and vanilla essence in a
heavy-based medium saucepan and stir over medium
heat for 5 minutes, or until well combined. Increase the
heat and bring back to the boil. Reduce heat to low and
111
simmer uncovered, stirring constantly for 5 minutes,
or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set
aside.
Berries
Place the frozen berries in a medium heavy saucepan,
add the sugar and lemon juice. Heat the mixture until
the fruits are well softened and the cooking liquor
becomes ‘syrupy’.
To serve
Carefully slice the apples and arrange on top of the fruit
compote. Finish by adding warmed butterscotch sauce.
the bramley apple
an apple a day
112
With apple growing in County Armagh going back some
3,000 years, it’s little wonder the area has become
widely known as ‘the orchard county’.
The Bramley apple was first brought to Armagh in 1884
and since then the industry has developed to become
an integral part of the local economy. With an abundant
supply of raw material, processing began in 1903 and
currently the Bramley apple industry employs up to 1,500
people.
One of these, Andrew Price, is a third generation grower
and is not only a friend and customer of Sally McNally’s,
but is also a supplier and neighbour of the Markethill
Road pub. Andrew farms 80 acres of manicured orchard
nestled around his Derryhale home.
Andrew Price
FRUIT FARMS
Many growers are now diversifying, among these Pat
McKeever, who has recently developed his own range
of ‘craft’ ciders. Having been recently stocked in Sally
McNally’s, sales of this local cider have outstripped
many of its ‘big brother’ competitors.
With many local restaurants promoting apple dishes
and a range of well-established trade events in place,
the future of the Bramley apple is looking rosy.
connoisseur’s choice
how to cook the
perfect steak
“At Sally McNally’s and The Stonebridge Brassiere
we use an array local suppliers,” says John McNally.
“However, all our red meat comes from the Hewitt
Meats ‘Connoisseur’s Choice’ range. These hand-picked
sirloins and fillets are minimum 21 days hung on the
bone in a state-of-the-art dry-aging unit, where not only
temperature but humidity is strictly controlled.
“When choosing a steak, make sure you ask your butcher
how long the meat has been hung – if possible, heifer
(female) beef is preferable – these animals tend to be
smaller therefore when the steak is cut, you have a
smaller surface area of meat and the steaks tend to be
thicker – I feel this rule is a great start to cooking the
‘perfect steak.’
the perfect steak
The cooking process
Heat your griddle over a high heat until it begins to
smoke. Brush the steak with some olive oil and season
with sea salt.
Please don’t griddle more than 2 steaks at a time – this
will only serve to drop the temperature and your steaks
will boil rather than fry.
Only turn your steaks when good sear marks appear –
only then turn the steaks and cook the other side.
The last point is vital – the steaks need to rest for a good
3-4 minutes to allow the juices which have been drawn
to the surface during cooking to permeate back into the
steak again bringing the seasoning from the salt into
the flesh.
How long to cook
Blue – 1 minute each side
Rare – 1½-2 minutes per side
Medium rare – 2-2½ minutes per side
Medium – 2½-3 minutes per side
Medium to well done – 3-3½ minutes per side
(Note – for blue or rare steaks, make sure they have been
removed from the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to
cooking).
“Ok, let’s not muck about – if you are going to eat
a sirloin steak, it needs to be 10-12oz. Also ensure
the meat is a deep red colour and has a good
marbling of fat throughout. This will melt during the
cooking process and ‘self baste’ to ensure maximum
succulence. In addition, a good layer of fat around the
top of the sirloin is essential.”
113
loin of fermanagh beef cooked in hay
with braised cheek, bone marrow
breadcrumbs & potato fondant
deli on the green
30 The Linen Green, Moygashel, Dungannon BT71 7HB
t: 028 8775 1775 e: delionthegreen@btconnect.com
www.delionthegreen.com
4 x 5oz sirloins of beef
dash of olive oil
½ bag clean eating hay (available from pet shops)
STEPHEN HOPE
114
For the beef cheeks
2 beef cheeks
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bottle red wine
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
For the mushroom purée
200g button mushrooms, chopped
50g butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
salt & pepper
For the fondant potatoes
4 medium size potatoes, peeled
200ml chicken stock
2 tbsp butter
For the bone marrow crumbs
100g bone marrow
200g breadcrumbs
Popular with day-time diners, Deli
on the Green also offers an exciting
full evening à la carte menu at the
weekend and a 3-course meal with a
bottle of wine at £50 per couple…
Originally opened as a small deli at
the Linen Green designer outlet village
near Dungannon, Deli on the Green
was just too good to stop at that. It
wasn’t long before proprietor Claire
Murray moved to bigger premises at
the Linen Green where she expanded
the deli by adding a bistro.
No stranger to awards, head chef
Stephen Hope has been crowned
winner of both the Gordon Ramsay
Scholarship and Northern Ireland Chef
of the Year, with the deli awarded
‘Best Casual Dining Restaurant’ in
Tyrone 2011, 2012 and 2013 in The
Irish Restaurant Awards, run by The
Restaurants Association of Ireland.
“When I first met Claire, I could see
she was as passionate about food as
I am,” says Stephen. “We both agree
on the importance of using fresh,
sustainable foods sourced from local
artisan producers where possible. Her
enthusiasm rubs off on me and I love
sitting down at the table with Claire
to discuss food and try the samples of
the produce she is always finding from
her frequent trips to markets and food
shows all over Ireland, the UK, France
and Italy.
and butter pudding with poached
apricots and clotted cream or an
exceptionally good apple crumble
made with Bramley apples. But if you
want to try something different, his
hazelnut parfait with blackberry purée
and vanilla ice cream has an extra
touch of refinement.
“Often during the week, after lunch
service has finished, I stay on with
the kitchen team and play around
with new ideas. Everyone chips in and
this has resulted in some original à
la carte dishes for diners to try in the
restaurant at the weekends.
Claire is as
passionate and
driven about
food as I am.
“Cooking beef in hay, for instance,
adds another layer to the flavour
of the beef and we found it works
especially well if you smoke it first.”
For desserts, Stephen likes to offer
traditional treats with a twist - bread
Beef cheeks
Trim the cheeks, remove any sinew and cut them in half.
Season well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavybased oven-proof pan and brown the cheeks on all sides.
Remove the cheeks and set aside. To the same pan, add the
onion and garlic and fry until they turn golden. Pour in the
wine and add the bay leaf and thyme springs. Bring to the
boil, scraping up all the sticky bits from the bottom of the
pan. Return the cheeks to the pan, cover tightly with foil and
put in a preheated oven at 110°c for 6-8 hours.
Mushroom purée
Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat
and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, then
add the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes. Place
in a blender and mix to a purée (or use a hand held
blender). Season well.
Beef cooked in hay
Preheat the oven to 200°c. Heat the olive oil in a cast
iron casserole dish with a lid. Brown the steaks on all
sides and remove. Add the hay with a little more oil to
the dish, just until the hay starts to smoke, then place
the steaks on top and cover with the lid. Bake in the
oven for 5-6 minutes or until the beef is cooked to your
liking. Remove from the oven and allow to rest.
Bone marrow crumbs
Melt the bone marrow in a dry pan to render it down
and simply fry the bread crumbs until golden brown.
Potato fondants
Cut the potatoes into barrel shapes. Heat the butter
over a medium heat in a saucepan, add the potatoes
and fry on all sides until golden brown. Pour in the
stock, then cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer
the potatoes until tender.
To serve
Serve as illustrated with gravy from the braised beef
cheeks and fresh vegetables.
115
hazelnut parfait with blackberry purée
& vanilla ice cream
classic fish pie
116
200g salmon, boned & skinned
200g smoked haddock
200g cooked shellfish (prawns, mussels, etc)
200g cod
800ml fresh cream
3 tbsp finely chopped herbs (parsley, dill, etc)
200g peas
1kg potatoes, peeled
100g butter
100ml milk
50g cheddar cheese, grated
Cut the potatoes into chunks and boil for 20 minutes; drain,
season well and mash with the butter and milk. Reserve.
Dice the fish into cubes and put in a frying pan, pour over
the cream and poach until almost cooked. Add the shellfish,
parsley and season well.
Cover the bottom of an ovenproof casserole/pie dish with
the peas and pour over the fish and shellfish mix. Top the
pie with the mash, pushing it right to the edges to seal.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 200°c
for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
200g caster sugar
3 tbsp water
100g whole blanched hazelnuts, chopped
300ml double cream
2 egg whites
100g caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
200g blackberries
4 tbsp castor sugar
Place the sugar and water in a heavy-based saucepan over
low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Don’t stir. Increase
the heat and bubble to a dark caramel for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts. Pour the mixture
onto a non-stick baking sheet, spread out and leave to cool.
When cooled and set, smash the praline into pieces using a
rolling pin. Reserve for later.
Line a 1.2 litre loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment (or
use lined individual pudding tins or ramekins). Pour the
cream into a bowl and whip until it holds its shape but is
still a little soft. In another bowl, use an electric whisk to
beat the egg whites with a squeeze of lemon juice until stiff.
Slowly add the sugar until you have a stiff, shiny meringue.
Gently fold the whipped cream and meringue together, then
add most of the praline, leaving a few tablespoons to serve.
Spoon into the loaf tin, smooth the top and freeze until firm,
preferably overnight.
Make the purée by cooking the blackberries and sugar in a
pot with a few tablespoons of water for 5-8 minutes until
soft, then purée until smooth.
Serve as illustrated with a good quality vanilla ice cream and
the remaining praline.
117
cutters wharf
Lockview Road, Belfast BT9 5FJ
t: 028 9080 5100 e: info@cutterswharf.co.uk
www.cutterswharf.co.uk
PAUL DOBSON
118
Boasting a stunning waterfront
location, there’s really nothing
quite like Cutters Wharf in Belfast, a
fashionable establishment that can
cater for any event…
Comfortable seating, wide open
windows overlooking the River Lagan, a
new fully heated river terrace - Cutters
Wharf offers an impressive choice,
from al fresco dining areas outside
(think warming winter cocktails and
snug blankets in winter, BBQ parties in
summer) to the cosiness of the casual
downstairs bar with its riverside views
and TV screens both inside and out.
Upstairs in the newly refurbished
Cutters Restaurant, you will find
informal dining at its best, in what
has been described as the comfiest
restaurant in the city – and one of the
most stylish! With wide open windows
to enhance your dining experience,
there is nowhere quite like this in
Belfast.
Head chef Paul Dobson says his aim is
to serve ‘every man’. “The downstairs
bar is geared toward the pub lunch
crowd while upstairs caters equally
well for an intimate lunch or dinner or
larger events such as birthday parties
and weddings.”
For Paul, that means a busy kitchen
pretty much every day of the week, but
it’s a challenge he rises to with gusto.
Trained in a bistro background, he
knows exactly what his customers
want and is always on the lookout for
something new to whet the appetite.
“We like to provide variety on our
menus and are currently moving
towards different, exciting cuts of
meat that you don’t see very often.
We already have an extensive menu
but meats such as ostrich offer an
interesting choice. It has a texture
close to fillet steak but with more
depth and gaminess and the price
is very competitive too. Our meat
supplier, Rodgers Meats in the
Castlereagh Hills, works with me to
source different products that not only
taste wonderful, but also offer good
value.”
Seafood also features strongly in Paul’s
menus, where you’ll find everything
from a splendid pan fried sea bass to
a lightly battered scampi, using top
quality produce from leading Belfast
suppliers such as Walter Ewing and
Keenan Seafood.
Meats such
as ostrich
offer an
interesting
choice.
cutters seafood chowder
200g smoked haddock, diced
100g cod, diced
60g mussel meat
60g fresh prawn
2 carrots, peeled & finely diced
2 parsnips, peeled & finely diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled & finely diced
2 leeks, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed & chopped
2 measures of Pernod
50ml fish stock
500ml double cream
500ml single cream
1 star anise
10 pink peppercorns
5 whole cloves
5 cardamom pods
Put the double and single cream in a saucepan with the star
anise, pink peppercorns, cloves and cardamom. Heat gently
and allow to gently simmer for 20 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pot, add the
diced vegetables and garlic and keep at a medium heat.
Gently stir the vegetables to avoid sticking. Once they have
started to soften, add the Pernod and the fish stock, then
allow the liquid to reduce by at least half.
Using a fine sieve, strain the cream from the saucepan into
the pot with the vegetables, Pernod and fish stock. Stir well
before adding the haddock, cod, mussel meat and prawns
and bring to the boil. Once boiled, reduce heat and allow to
simmer for another 20 minutes.
Serve at your leisure with fresh crusty rolls or wheaten bread.
119
pan roasted breast of barbary duck
with sweet potato fondant, buttered
greens & blackberry jam
4 medium duck breasts
6 large sweet potatoes
500g fine beans
1 bunch broccoli
500g salted butter
4 cloves crushed garlic
8 sprigs thyme, chopped
100ml vegetable stock
250ml olive oil
120
For the jam
500g fresh blackberries
500g granulated sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
60ml water
Duck
To prepare the duck breast, simply score the skin 5 or 6
times across, widthways, taking care not to cut too deep.
Marinate in half the chopped thyme, crushed garlic and
olive oil and leave to one side for now.
Fondant potatoes
First peel the potatoes and place in a bowl of cold water,
then slice, widthways, 1cm thick slices, using a cutting ring
to get the ideal shape. The leftover potato can be saved for
use in a soup later if you like. Place the potatoes back in the
cold water until needed.
Blackberry jam
Place all the blackberries in a large saucepan on a very low
heat. Using a rolling pin or potato masher, gently crush the
blackberries down a little to release some of the fresh juices
from the berries, then add the sugar, butter and lemon
juice. Once the sugar and butter have melted, add the water
and cook on a medium heat for 30 minutes. When you
have reached a nice thick consistency, transfer the jam to a
chilled bowl and place in the fridge.
Buttered greens
Cut the broccoli to your preferred size, topping and
tailing the fine beans if required (most supermarkets
sell these already prepared). Leave to one side, whilst
bringing a pot of salted water to the boil.
To begin, start with the fondant potatoes as these can
easily be kept warm. In a large frying pan melt 200g
of butter, add the rest of the crushed garlic and the
chopped thyme. Drain and shake any excess water
from the potatoes and then place carefully in the pan.
After 2 minutes at medium heat, turn the potatoes.
You should see a difference in colour, but if not, simply
turn up the heat and after another 2 minutes add
the vegetable stock and simmer for 5 minutes. The
potatoes should be cooked through by now; leave on a
low heat until ready to serve.
121
Preheat the oven to 200°c.
In a large pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, bring to a
high heat, then place the duck breasts, skin side down,
in the pan and season with some rock salt. Cook until
the skin is nice and crispy but not too dark, then turn.
After 2 minutes, place the duck breasts on a baking
tray, pour any excess juices over them and place in the
oven. Leave to cook for about 8 minutes, then remove
and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
plum & cardamom eton mess
Gently heat the blackberry jam in a saucepan while
adding the broccoli to the boiling water. After 5 minutes
add the fine beans; at this point add a knob of butter.
350g fresh plums
2 tbsp caster sugar
6 cardamom pods, crushed
4 meringue nests
200ml whipping cream
1 vanilla pod
1 tsp icing sugar
To serve
Arrange the fondant potatoes closely together on the
plate, slice the duck breast into 4 pieces, (it should be
nice and pink) and place to the side of the potatoes (this
helps to retain the heat of the dish). Place your greens
on the opposite side of the potatoes and drizzle a little of
the blackberry jam over the duck.
For the plum compote
Halve and de-stone the plums and place in a large saucepan.
Add the sugar, cardamom and 100ml of water; bring gently
to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes. If the plums are not
ripe enough they may need a little longer, add more water if
required. Once they are cooked, remove from the heat and
allow to cool. Once cooled, remove the cardamom pods.
For the cream and meringue mix
Whip the cream until it reaches ribbon stage (it should be
thick but also light and fluffy). Cut the vanilla pod in half,
lengthways, and scrape the seeds into the cream. Gently break
the meringue into the cream. Once it has all been added, fold
into the cream and vanilla. If you want, you can also add a
teaspoon of icing sugar if you prefer it to be sweeter.
To serve
Split the plum compote and cream mix between 6 martini
glasses, allowing for 2 layers of each for each portion, and
serve.
oysters restaurant
37 Patrick Street, Strabane, Co Tyrone BT82 8DQ
t: 028 7138 2690 e: info@oystersrestaurant.co.uk
www.oystersrestaurant.co.uk
pan-roast scallops served with chorizo,
tomato provençale & spinach cream
NIALL GORHAM
122
12 scallops
2 chorizo sausages
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 bag of baby spinach
3 medium-sized onions, finely diced
1 pint of cream
4 cloves of garlic
salt & pepper
rapeseed oil
1 lemon
Provençale sauce
Heat a little oil in a pot and add the onion and garlic. Gently
cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add the tin of chopped
tomatoes. Cook down until the mix becomes silky and
thickened. Season and set to one side.
Spinach purée
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Season the water and, when
boiling, dip the spinach in and out for 10 seconds. Refresh
until cold in water. Squeeze out the water and purée in a
food processor until it achieves a smooth consistency.
Driven to ever higher standards
of food and service, Kevin Clarke,
proprietor of Oysters Restaurant
in Strabane is wholly dedicated to
ensuring this pearl is a true culinary
treasure…
A perfectionist by nature, Kevin’s
attention to detail is such that foodies
are travelling from far and wide to
enjoy a splendid meal at Oysters.
“We are continually motivated and
driven by the next new project for
Oysters,” says Kevin, whose wife
Caroline is also involved in the
business.
“Head chef Niall Gorham understands
our passion and is very in tune with
what we want to achieve. He is the
icing on the cake for us, uniquely
combining the skills of menu
inventiveness, presentation flair and,
not least, flavour combinations and
enhancements that reach another
level. All sauces, breads, desserts,
truffles etc are all rustled up in-house
under Niall’s guidance. He also has an
excellent knowledge of seasonality
and blends it successfully into our
ever-developing menu offerings.
There’s always something new to
experience with Niall’s cooking.”
Keen on sustainability, Kevin
personally visits local suppliers such
as the nearby Baronscourt estate
to source venison, pheasant and
other game, when in season. Trips to
Burtonport Harbour in County Donegal
also help ensure only the freshest,
finest fish make their way into Kevin’s
kitchen.
“Our menus change seasonally and
are updated on a weekly basis, along
with a ‘chef speciality dish’ (or dishes),
every weekend,” says Kevin. “We
also organise food and wine tasting
evenings throughout the year to
introduce our clientele to delicacies
and flavours that are somewhat more
unusual and experimental. These
evenings are particularly well received
and supported - a real treat for true
food and wine lovers.”
All front-of-house staff are personally
trained and developed by Kevin. “We
feel very strongly that these personnel
are the front face of our business and
representative of the high customer
focus that we exercise in the
business,” he explains. “Customers
are warmly welcomed and we
endeavour to ensure that all patrons
receive a memorable all-round,
personal experience at Oysters.”
There’s always
something new to
experience with
Niall’s cooking.
Chorizo
Cut the chorizo into a ring the size of a euro/pound coin.
Place in the oven at 180˚c for 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
Scallops
Heat the pan until it is nice and hot. Season the
scallops and place on the pan for 2-3 minutes each
side. Remove from the pan when they achieve a nice
caramelised colour and add a knob of butter. In a small
pot, heat the cream, season and add the juice of ½
a lemon. Be careful not to over-boil. Add the spinach
purée to the cream. Ideally, you should have a real
green colour from the mix. Check seasoning.
To serve
Spoon the cream in the centre of the plate. Place 3
chorizo slices in the middle with the Provençal cream on
top. Finally, position the scallops on top again.
123
loin of venison served with potato
rösti, spiced carrot purée, caramelised
turnip, juniper berry jus
124
4 loin of venison (175g each)
4 medium potatoes
1 sprig of rosemary/thyme
1 carrot
6 cumin seeds
1 small turnip
6 juniper berries
200ml beef stock
200ml red wine
2 tsp red currant jelly
1 tsp honey
40g butter
seasoning
Pour the red wine and beef stock into a pot. Bring to the boil
and simmer for 20 minutes or until reduced by two thirds.
Add the redcurrant jelly and season. Remove from heat.
Grate the potato into a clean tea towel over a bowl and
squeeze out the excess liquid. Season the potato and add
the chopped rosemary and thyme. Shape into small discs.
Cut the carrots into small pieces, place in a pot and cover
with water, then add the cumin seeds. Bring to the boil and
simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the carrot pieces are
soft. Strain off the water and purée in a food processor,
adding 20g butter. The purée should reach a smooth
consistency. Check the seasoning. Set aside until
needed.
Season the venison and fry-off until golden brown all
over. Place in the oven at 180˚c for approximately 8-9
minutes. Simultaneously cook off the rösti potatoes on
a medium pan with a little oil for about 10-12 minutes
each side. Finish with a knob of butter and set aside.
Cut the turnip into even-sized dice (1cm squared) and
blanch off in a pot of boiling water for 8-10 minutes.
When cooked, cool down under cold water, then
refresh.
While the venison and rösti potatoes are cooking,
caramelise the turnip on a medium pan with honey,
rosemary, thyme and butter. This should take
approximately 5 minutes. Cook the sauce, adding the
juniper berries. Warm the purée.
To serve
Place one spoonful of purée along one side of the plate,
then position rösti potato off-centre to the other side of
the plate. Place five diced turnip pieces alongside the
purée. Place the venison on top of the rösti potatoes and
pour the sauce over the meat.
mango & apple suki tea crème brûlée
450ml double cream
50ml milk
3 tsp mango & apple Suki tea
115g caster sugar
5 egg yolks
Preheat oven to 150˚c.
Bring the cream, milk and tea to a simmer in a heavy-based pan over
medium heat. Whisk together 75g of the caster sugar and the egg
yolks in a large mixing bowl until pale, fluffy and well-combined. Add
the cream, milk and tea, whisking continuously until the sugar has
dissolved.
Remove the mango and apple tea leaves from the custard by passing
through a sieve. Pour into ramekins. Place the ramekins into a deepsided roasting tin, then carefully add enough boiling water to the tin
up to a halfway point on the height of the ramekins.
Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the custard is set firm
but still has a slight wobble. Remove the brûlée from the tray and set
aside to cool. Once cooled, chill in the fridge until needed.
To serve
Sprinkle the left-over icing sugar over the brûlée and, using a blow
torch, heat the sugar until it melts and caramelises.
125
annaghmore
mushrooms
a growing family
126
Supplying high quality mushrooms to retail and food service
across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, Annaghmore
Mushrooms prides itself on growing 70% of its produce on the
farm, with the remainder supplied by Northway Mushrooms,
a locally-based producer organisation with 27 dedicated
growers.
Located in County Armagh, close to the southern shore
of Lough Neagh, Annaghmore Mushrooms has grown
significantly since it was founded in 2006. Having recently
invested in purpose-built facilities, the company uses the
latest technology to control all the elements of the mushroom
growing process (including climate control) to ensure every one
of its mushrooms is grown in perfect conditions. Annaghmore
provides own label mushrooms for ASDA and Spar.
Annaghmore’s wide range includes standard white closed
cup mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms, flat mushrooms,
annaghmore mushroom & red
pepper stroganoff
400g mixed Annaghmore mushrooms (eg flatcaps,
portabellos, chestnuts & baby caps)
2 red peppers, trimmed & thinly sliced
2 red onions, peeled & thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed
250ml double cream
50ml red wine
20ml brandy
25ml Lea & Perrins sauce
5g Spanish smoked paprika
30g butter
Melt half the butter, add the garlic and allow to sweat
gently. Turn up the heat and add the brandy, red wine
and Lea & Perrins sauce. Reduce until syrupy, then add
the cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
In a large frying pan, melt the remaining butter and
add the sliced onions and peppers. Sweat gently then,
when soft, turn up the heat and sauté the prepared
mushrooms. As they cook, season generously and add
the paprika.
Tip on the prepared cream and simmer for a further 2
minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
Serve with freshly steamed rice.
flat chestnut or Portobello mushrooms and, of course, the
button mushroom, which remains a popular choice in many
kitchens, despite competition from more exotic varieties in
recent years.
In fact, a recent American study has praised the health
benefits of white and brown mushrooms, hailing them as the
new superfood!
Eat them grilled for breakfast, toss them into stir fries, add
to pasta sauces or use them in a kebab on the summer BBQ
- mushrooms are a versatile ingredient that can be easily
added to many dishes and make a nutritious addition to
meals.
For further information tel 028 3832 5555 or visit
www.annaghmoremushrooms.co.uk
baked annaghmore flat cap
mushrooms, poached free-range hens’
eggs & herbed hollandaise sauce
2 English muffins, split & toasted
4 flat cap Annaghmore mushrooms, trimmed
100g butter
4 free-range eggs
1 free-range egg yolk
40ml white wine vinegar
chives, freshly snipped
flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
sea salt & freshly milled pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°c.
Melt the butter and use half to brush the prepared
mushrooms. Bake the prepared mushrooms for
approximately 15 minutes, turning once. Whilst the
mushrooms are baking, place a medium-sized saucepan of
water on to boil and add 25ml of the vinegar and some salt.
To make the hollandaise, reduce the remaining
vinegar to a syrup and allow to cool. Place the egg
yolk into a glass bowl and add the vinegar reduction.
Whisk vigorously and when it is pale and fluffy add
the melted butter a little at a time (adding slowly will
prevent the sauce from curdling). When all the butter is
incorporated, add the herbs, then check and adjust the
seasoning. If the sauce is a little thick, use some warm
water to adjust the consistency.
Swirl the water and gently drop in one egg at a time
to poach in simmering water. Chill in water. Reheat in
boiling water when ready to serve.
Split and toast the muffins. Top the toasted muffins
with the baked mushrooms and then place a poached
egg onto each of the muffins. Drizzle with the
hollandaise sauce.
127
annaghmore portobello mushroom
burger with brie & cranberry
4 Annaghmore portobello mushrooms
200g brie cheese
30g butter
40g cranberry sauce
4 crusty rolls
40g mayonnaise
rocket leaves
sea salt & freshly milled pepper
128
Preheat the oven to 180°c.
Melt the butter and use to brush the prepared mushrooms.
Bake the mushrooms, flesh side up, in the preheated oven
for 15 minutes approximately.
While the mushrooms are baking, evenly slice the brie. Turn
the mushrooms over half way through the cooking time.
When they are cooked, top evenly with the sliced brie and
return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
Whilst the mushrooms are finishing, toast the rolls and
spread with some mayonnaise. Dress the rocket with a little
olive oil and season generously. Divide the rocket between
the rolls and top with the baked mushrooms.
To serve
Spoon on a little cranberry sauce and enjoy.
129
lewis dining experience
The Old Inn, Main Street, Crawfordsburn, Co Down BT19 1JH
t: 028 9185 3255 e: info@theoldinn.com
www.theoldinn.com
BOB McDONALD
130
grilled kilkeel brill with cockles &
mussels, red wine butter & leeks
4 x 160g brill fillets
500g cockles, cleaned
500g mussels, cleaned
2 tbsp white wine
150g butter, softened
1 banana shallot, finely diced
100ml red wine
2 leeks, trimmed & finely sliced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
salt & pepper
Combine the wine and shallot in a small saucepan and
simmer over medium heat until reduced to a syrupy
consistency. Allow to cool and then stir in 130g of the
butter. Mix well and spoon the butter onto a large piece of
cling film; fold the film over the butter and twist the ends to
create a long log. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Preheat a grill to its highest setting, then melt the
remaining butter and brush over the brill fillets. Place the
fish on a wire rack and grill for 4 minutes on each side. Keep
warm. Pour the white wine into a saucepan and add the
cockles and mussels, cover with a lid and steam until the
shells open. Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently sweat the
leeks for a few minutes until tender, season well.
To serve
Divide the leeks on to four warm plates and top with the
grilled fish; spoon around the shellfish and top with a
generous slice of the red wine butter.
Celebrating its 400th anniversary
this year and holding two AA
rosettes for 14 consecutive
years since 1999, The Old Inn at
Crawfordsburn presents a unique
offering for ambience, consistency
and quality...
European or Asian influence when
dishes require it.
peaking on Sundays to over 600
(excluding wedding business).
“We keep on top of our suppliers
to specify our product exactly to
customer needs, so a good, thick
steak, for example, is always on our
menu,” says director, Garvan Rice.
With a thatched roof and 11 open
fires in the public areas, bedrooms
and even the gazebo (a real treat for
smokers), this County Down hotel
is always comfortably busy and has
been heavily invested in to keep it up
to four star standard, also winning
‘Best Hotel Restaurant’ in Ulster in
the RAI (Restaurant Association of
Ireland) Awards in 2010 and Good
Eating Guide to Ireland 2011.
Indeed, maintaining consistently
high standards is key to all aspects
of the dining experience at the Lewis.
State-of-the-art cooking aids like the
kitchen’s Bonnet Maestro cooking
suite, several Rational ovens, a
60-litre boiling kettle for stocks, ice
cream makers, walk-in fridges… you
name it the kitchen has it. This wellequipped and cool kitchen, with its
open pass, is a great environment for
the chefs, and customers are often
invited into the working kitchen as a
special treat.
“We have a very enthusiastic brigade
of young chefs and keeping the menu
to a workable selection is more of a
challenge with all of the competition
from them to get their own stamp on
the dishes we produce,” says Garvan.
“We work hard to source seasonal
products and we also have to allow
for how our own regulars help shape
the menu with their input on likes and
dislikes.
The Lewis restaurant is very much
driven by what’s on the doorstep so
nothing travels too far to get to the
plate and, in order to respect the
produce, food preparation is kept
quite simple, introducing a touch of
With an enviable regular following
at Lewis, the kitchen has in excess of
150 covers a day mid-week, regularly
“They say you can’t please all the
people all the time, but that doesn’t
mean you shouldn’t try!”
Customers are often
invited into the
working kitchen as
a special treat.
131
old inn steak & chips
4 x 180g fillet steaks
1 tbsp sunflower oil
salt & pepper
For the onion tart
1 large red onion, peeled
1 sheet puff pastry
butter for greasing
30g caster sugar
132
For the béarnaise sauce
120g butter, melted
2 egg yolks
30ml white wine vinegar
1 banana shallot, chopped
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped, stalks reserved
3 black peppercorns
sea salt
black pepper
Onion tart
Preheat the oven to 180°c. Slice the onion into 4 equal slices, keeping the rings intact.
Place the 4 onion slices, a few inches apart, on a lightly
buttered non-stick baking sheet and evenly sprinkle each
slice with the sugar. Cut out discs of puff pastry, the
same size as the onion slices, and lay on top of each slice,
pressing down gently and around the sides. Place the tray
in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until golden and then
turn over, pastry side down, and keep warm.
Béarnaise sauce
Put the vinegar, shallot, peppercorns and the reserved
tarragon stalks in a small saucepan and bring to the
boil. Turn down and simmer until the liquid is reduced
by half. Place the egg yolks into a bowl and strain in
the reduced vinegar. Place the bowl over a pan of
simmering water and whisk together until thickened
and light in colour. Gradually add the melted butter,
whisking all the time. Season well and add the chopped
tarragon leaves. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Steaks
Brush the steaks on both sides and season with salt
and pepper. Heat a frying pan until very hot, then
add the steaks and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side,
depending how you like your steak cooked. Rest for a
few minutes.
To serve
Place the steak on a serving plate, topped with the onion
tart and a shot glass of béarnaise sauce on the side.
Don’t forget the homemade chips!
mini pint of guinness
mini apple pies
440ml Guinness
3g agar agar
200g caster sugar
200ml double cream
1 gelatine leaf
50ml Baileys Irish Cream
35g caster sugar
sweet short crust pastry
350g Bramley apples, peeled, cored & sliced
50g caster sugar
pinch of cinnamon
2 tbsp water
milk to glaze
Pour the Guinness with the sugar into
a saucepan and bring to the boil over
medium heat. Reduce the heat and
whisk in the agar agar, then simmer for 5
minutes. Fill small shot glasses with the
jelly, leaving room for the creamy head, and
transfer to the fridge to set.
Soak the gelatine in cold water to soften
for 5-10 minutes. Pour the cream, Baileys
and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the
boil. Remove from the heat and add the
drained, softened gelatine leaf, stirring until
it has dissolved. Allow the cream to cool
and then pour on top of the set Guinness
jellies and return to the fridge to chill.
Preheat the oven to 180°c.
Roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick. Cut out circles
and place them in the wells of an oiled or non-stick minimuffin tray. Put the apples, sugar, cinnamon and water in
a saucepan over medium heat and stew the apples until
soft. Adjust the sweetness with more sugar if necessary
and allow to cool. Fill each pastry case to the top with the
cool apples and then re-roll the pastry to make the tops
and place them on. Glaze the tops with milk and cook for
15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
old inn irish mist cheesecake
50g butter, melted
200g gingernut biscuits, crushed
50g flaked almonds
250g mascarpone
250g cream cheese
50g icing sugar
100ml Irish Mist liqueur
1 gelatine leaf, softened in water
In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, biscuit
crumbs and almonds. Press the crumbs into a greased flan
ring or springform cake tin and chill in the fridge to set.
Put the mascarpone, cream cheese and sugar into a bowl
and beat until smooth. Pour the Irish Mist into a saucepan
and simmer over medium heat to reduce by half. Allow to
cool and whisk in the drained, softened gelatine leaf. Beat the Irish Mist into the cream cheese mix and pour over
the biscuit base. Transfer the cheesecake to the fridge to set
and chill.
133
erin grove preserves
jam just like it
should be!
erin grove bakewell tart
1 sheet readymade sweet shortcrust pastry
150g Erin Grove raspberry jam
250g butter
250g caster sugar
250g ground almonds
3 free range eggs
25g flaked almonds
icing sugar to dust
Preheat the oven to 170°c.
134
Inspired to recreate the homemade flavours which have
been lost in so many of today’s over-processed foods, the
jams, marmalades and chutneys from Erin Grove provide
a true taste sensation.
Erin Grove Preserves are made using only traditional
methods and produced in small batches, with a high fruit
content, to help retain even more flavour and colour.
“Many of our recipes have been handed down through
the generations, others we have created ourselves,” says
Jayne Paget, who established the business in 2001 in the
heart of the Fermanagh Lakelands.
No stranger to awards, Jayne has recently added to her
growing list by winning two gold stars in the Guild of
Fine Food’s ‘Great Taste Awards 2013’ for her raspberry
preserve, along with one gold star each for her Indian
erin grove glazed baby back
bacon ribs
1 sheet baby back bacon ribs
100ml chicken stock
100gm Erin grove three-fruit marmalade
20ml honey
20ml dark soy sauce
25g butter
Preheat the oven to 160°c. Place the sheet of ribs into
a suitable ovenproof dish. Pour over the chicken stock
and cover with a double layer of tin foil. Bake for around
90 minutes. Remove the foil and pour the juices into a
small saucepan.
Place the saucepan onto a moderate heat then add
the marmalade, soy sauce, honey and butter. Whisk to
emulsify the liquids in the saucepan. Use to baste the
ribs. Return the coated ribs to the oven for a further 30
minutes basting regularly.
Serve with the remaining juices.
spiced pineapple chutney and her mango chutney with
chilli and lime.
However, with around 30 different varieties to choose
from, you’ll be spoilt for choice, and another favourite,
three-fruit marmalade (made with lemon, orange and
grapefruit) is one of Erin Grove’s most popular products.
Available through specialty food shops, butchers and
delis province-wide and further afield, Erin Grove
produce is also now available through Sawers, the
famous Belfast purveyor of fine foods.
For more information tel 028 6632 8206 or visit
www.eringrove.com
Consultant chef Bob McDonald shows just how versatile
Erin Grove produce can be with two very different recipes...
Use the pastry to line a 22cm fluted tart case. Blind bake
the case in the preheated oven for approximately 15
minutes.
Whilst the case is baking, cream the butter and sugar until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down
well to avoid the mixture curdling. Gently fold in the ground
almonds.
When the case is baked evenly, spread over the jam. Top
with the almond mixture, then scatter over the flaked
almonds. Return to the oven and reduce the temperature
to 160°c. Bake for approximately 35 minutes, until golden
brown and cooled through.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before dusting
with icing sugar.
135
gurman’s tea
and coffee world
a world of flavour
136
Dedicated to offering quality tea and coffee products,
Gurman’s Tea and Coffee World on-line shop offers public
and retail customers more than 200 top quality loose tea
blends and 45 of the highest quality coffee bean varieties
from all around the world.
There’s also a shop at St Stephen’s Green in Dublin,
where visitors can select their favourite tea or coffee and
sit down at a table to enjoy it.
Nedas Petkus, managing director of Nedas Tea and
Coffee Ltd, is from Lithuania, a country which rivals
Ireland in its love of tea, and one of his motivations
in setting up the business was because he missed his
favourite blends from home.
Through Gurman’s Tea and Coffee World, Nedas has
brought the celebrated Gurman’s brand to Ireland with
gurman’s baked hazelnut
coffee cheesecake
1 packet ladyfinger biscuits
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
25g chocolate
2 eggs
250g cream cheese
4 tbsp Gurman’s hazelnut coffee
4 tbsp melted butter
220g icing sugar
250g mascarpone
Preheat the oven to 175°c and place a pan of water in the
bottom of the oven. Crush the ladyfinger biscuits to fine
crumbs. Moisten with 2 tablespoons of the hazelnut coffee.
Press into an 8 or 9 inch spring form tin.
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, mascarpone and
icing sugar until very smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of hazelnut
coffee and mix slowly until smooth, then mix in the eggs
and the flour. The consistency of the mix will vary. If the
cheesecake is too thick, add some cream. Pour onto the
base.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the oven or until set (it should
just have a very slight wobble). Let cool, then place in the
oven overnight.
When taking out of the tin, use a blow torch or a hot cloth
around the tin to loosen.
Serve with fresh whipped cream and fresh crushed hazelnuts.
a host of different blends, including black and green
teas, flavoured black and green teas, red tea, white tea,
herbal tea, fruit tea, mate tea, yellow tea…the list is
impressive.
Specialising in top quality classic coffee beans, Nedas
also offers flavoured coffee and espresso plus a
selection of the finest chocolates, and tea and coffee
accessories such as tea sets, cups, saucers, plungers,
infusers and more.
The company has a growing wholesale business too,
supplying coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and other
businesses with premium quality tea and coffee
products.
For more information tel 087 0690 466 or visit
www.tea-coffee.ie gurman’s salted caramel tart
For the pastry
350g plain flour
75g icing sugar
125g unsalted butter
2 medium eggs
For the caramel
45g glucose syrup
275g golden caster sugar
150ml double cream
1 tsp salt
25g Gurman’s caramel coffee
For the topping
400ml double cream
3 tbsp honey
350g dark chocolate
175g butter diced
Pastry
Sift together the flour and icing sugar and cut the
butter into chunks. Place in a food processor and
process, adding in the eggs at the end to form a
dough.
Roll out the pastry, using quite a lot of flour as it will
stick easily. Use the pastry to line the bottom of a tart
tin (this sweet pastry shrinks a lot so when you place it
in the tin make sure it reaches high up the sides), then
chill in the fridge for around 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°c. Blind bake the pastry by
lining it with greaseproof paper, filling with baking
beans and cooking for 15-20 minutes. Remove the
beans and paper and continue to cook the pastry for
a further 10 minutes or until it is a light golden colour.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Caramel
Pour the glucose syrup into a large saucepan (this is
important as the mixture will increase in volume later)
and bring to the boil. Gradually add the sugar, stir, and
continue to cook until the sugar has started to brown.
At the same time, in a separate saucepan, bring the
cream, salt, and hazelnut coffee to the boil. Remove
the caramel from the heat and very carefully add the
cream to the caramel (be careful as the mixture can
rise rapidly in the saucepan). Stir carefully over a low
heat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Remove from
the heat, add the diced butter and stir, before pouring
into the cooled pastry case.
Topping
Bring the cream and honey to the boil and pour over
the chopped chocolate. Mix carefully with a spatula,
working from the centre outwards.
Once the mixture has cooled a little, add the butter and
stir gently until the mixture is smooth. Pour on top of
the caramel and leave in a cool place for 4-6 hours.
137
signal restaurant
Station House Hotel, Kilmessan, Co Meath
t: 046 9025 239 e: info@stationhousehotel.ie
www.stationhousehotel.ie
marinated saddle of venison with
butternut squash & fruity demi-glaze
KILLIAN Ó DONOHOE
138
For the venison
4 x 150g venison steaks
50g butter
salt
For the marinade
80ml soy sauce
80g brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, crushed
½ small onion, finely chopped
½ tsp ground ginger
80ml olive oil
2 bay leaves
125ml pineapple juice
For the butternut squash purée
1 butternut squash
1 tbsp butter
50g brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
salt & ground white pepper
For the fruity demi-glaze
250ml demi glaze or gravy (can be bought)
1 tsp crème de cassis
4 strawberries, hulled & sliced
4 blackberries
4 raspberries
A beautiful country retreat in the
heart of the Boyne Valley, the
Station House Hotel and its awardwinning restaurant offer peace and
relaxation in elegant and luxurious
surroundings...
Listed in Georgina Campbell’s
Good Food Guide as “one of the
top 10 restaurants in Ireland to
have Sunday Lunch”, the Signal
Restaurant is also AA three-diamond
approved, RAC three-star approved,
has one AA Rosette, is listed in the
Michelin Guide and is recommended
by Paolo Tullio and Lucinda
O’Sullivan.
Recently appointed executive head
chef, Killian Ó Donohoe, has worked
as a chef at the Station House Hotel
for over eight years and its ongoing
success (there have been numerous
other awards over the years) is in
no small measure due to Killian’s
contribution in the kitchen.
“Since joining the kitchen I’ve
helped put my own stamp on it,”
he says. “We like to cook classic
food but with a modern twist and
are especially well known for our
games dishes. Thanks to the local
game farms we can have it on the
menu all year round. We get venison
and deer from suppliers in nearby
Rathfeigh and other places, and a
local gun club keeps us supplied
with rabbit, quail and pheasants.
Our regulars know that when they
ask for game it will be a dish with a
difference, and one they won’t get
elsewhere, like our starter of game
pie, which comes in a little pot filled
with maybe rabbit, quail, venison or
boar, depending on what we have at
the time.
“Lamb is a big seller for us, with the
famous Hill of Tara, where the lambs
graze, only five minutes away. Our
sea bass (from Malahide fish market)
with French-style ratatouille is
another winner.”
It’s no surprise to learn that The
Station House Hotel is also an
award-winning venue for weddings.
“We must have done 150 last year,”
says Killian. “Couples love the fact
that we can produce something that
little bit different for their wedding
meal.”
One of the top
10 restaurants
in Ireland to
have Sunday
Lunch.
Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and add
the venison steaks; cover with cling film and leave in
the fridge overnight. Remove the venison from the
marinade and pat dry. Melt the butter in an oven-proof
pan over medium heat. Fry the steaks until caramelised
all over, season with the salt and transfer to an oven
set to 200°c for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked to your
liking, basting occasionally with the marinade. Allow to
rest. Butternut squash purée
Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways and deseed. Place the halves on a baking sheet flesh side up.
Dot with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar, then
roast in a preheated oven at 180°c for 40 minutes or
until soft and tender. Allow to cool and then scoop the
flesh from the squash into a bowl and discard the skins.
Add the spices and season with the salt and white
pepper. Mash well to combine.
Fruity demi-glaze
Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the
boil over medium heat. Simmer for a few minutes.
Serve as illustrated.
139
iced hazelnut nougat
150g caster sugar
100g hazelnuts, shells & skins removed
4 egg whites, medium
150g icing sugar
440ml double cream, whipped
140
Lightly toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over medium
heat. Heat the caster sugar in a heavy-based pan until it
melts and becomes sticky and golden brown. Stir in the
hazelnuts and then transfer to a lightly oiled or non-stick
baking sheet; leave to cool. When completely hard, break
into pieces using a rolling pin and then put into a food
processor and pulse until it resembles rough breadcrumbs.
In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form and
then gradually add the icing sugar and whisk until stiff and
glossy. Fold in the whipped cream and the hazelnut crumb
with a metal spoon until combined. Pour into individual
moulds and place in the freezer overnight.
To serve
Unmould the nougats onto a serving plate and garnish with
minted berries and a fruit coulis.
oven baked quail with chestnut
stuffing & wild berry compote
4 quails
285g chestnuts, cooked, peeled & chopped
325g butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt & white pepper
4 tbsp chicken stock
500g breadcrumbs
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
For the wild berry compote
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
juice and zest of ½ lemon
200g mixed wild berries
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
salt & pepper
1-2 tbsp honey
Quail & chestnut stuffing
Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and
fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes until tender.
Add the chestnuts, chicken stock and salt and pepper.
Transfer to a bowl and add the breadcrumbs and
parsley and mix well until combined; check seasoning.
Stuff the quails with the stuffing mix, place in a roasting
tin and bake in an oven preheated to 180°c until the
juices run clear and the quail are cooked.
Wild berry compote
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and
fry the shallot until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients
and cook until the berries have softened. Remove the
thyme sprigs and adjust seasoning to taste.
141
brasserie on the corner
25 Eglinton St, Galway city
t: 091 530 333 e: info@brasseriegalway.com
www.brasseriegalway.com
JOE FLAHERTY
142
pan-fried brill with wild mushrooms &
ling croquettes
2 large brill fillets, 300g each
salt & pepper
50g butter
30ml olive oil
100g wild mushrooms
40ml oyster sauce
200g mashed potatoes
200g salted ling
200ml milk
2 eggs, beaten
50g flour for dredging
200g panko bread crumbs
oil for deep frying
Ling croquettes
Soak the ling overnight in cold water, then drain and
pat dry. Pour the milk into a saucepan over medium
heat and add the ling. Cook for about 10 minutes or
until the ling is tender. Drain the mixture and flake the
ling into a bowl with the mashed potatoes. Mix and
season well, then shape into balls. Refrigerate for 30
minutes until firm. Place the eggs, flour and panko
into separate bowls. Dredge the balls in flour, then dip
into the beaten eggs and finally coat all over in panko
breadcrumbs. Fry the croquettes in batches in the deep
fat fryer at 180°c until golden and crisp.
Brill and wild mushrooms
Season the fish on both sides. Heat a large non-stick
frying pan over medium heat and add the butter and
oil, put in the brill fillets and fry them for about 1 to 1½
minutes on each side, until golden; do not overcook.
Keep warm. Heat another pan over medium heat
and add the wild mushrooms and oyster sauce, then
simmer until the mushrooms are cooked, for about 2
minutes.
Serve as illustrated. We like to serve this dish with a
creamy parsnip purée.
Brasserie on the Corner is providing
a standard of quality food at
competitive prices that encourages
diners to visit on a regular basis and
not just on special occasions…
Located in Galway city centre, near
Town Hall Theatre, this is a restaurant
well worth visiting. Its ambiance is
smart casual – a description that
could also be applied to the food
served up by head chef Joe Flaherty
and his team. The restaurant was
named ‘Best Newcomer 2013’ at
the Hotel and Catering Gold Medal
Awards and Joe is also part of the
Eurotoques group.
Service runs right through from
breakfast to dinner, and quality,
local produce is at the heart of the
offering. For breakfast menus, that
means succulent sausages and
bacon from Castlemine Farm in
Roscommon. For lunch, Joe puts a
tasty twist on classics such as fish
and chips by adding his own ginger
tartare sauce, and it’s a sign of the
high standards at the brasserie that
all the sauces, chutneys, relishes and
so forth are cooked freshly on the
premises.
The dinner menu brings more
change, with the brasserie enjoying
an excellent reputation for its quality
steaks, using premium Irish beef
supplied by Oughterard master
butcher, James McGeough. Your
steak can be char grilled by the chef
or cooked at your table on a steak
stone, which sears in the natural
flavours of the meat and allows you
to cook the steak exactly how you
like it. A plentiful supply of seasonal
fish comes from Gannet’s fishmonger
in Galway city. Try Joe’s smoked
mackerel with orange tortellini for
an uncomplicated dish that’s full of
flavour, and rest assured the tortellini
is freshly made on the premises.
If looking for a light bite, the deli
boards are something to be tried.
Exceptionally good bar food is
available throughout the day for
more informal diners, where great
food is complemented by friendly
and professional service, overseen
by Eimear Killian. The bar also
has its own mixologist, serving up
specialised cocktails.
In the words of food critic, Paolo
Tullio – “The quality of the cooking is
far higher than expected.”
Best
Newcomer
2013
143
peanut butter parfait with
a chocolate tuile
144
270g peanut butter
200g caster sugar
2 tbsp water
8 egg yolks
400ml fresh cream, whipped
100g good quality dark chocolate
50g peanuts, toasted & crushed
Parfait
Line a loaf tin with cling film. Put the sugar and the water
in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer to reach
the soft ball stage. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with an
electric mixer until they have doubled in size, then slowly,
with the mixer running, add the sugar syrup and whisk
until the mixture cools. Fold in the whipped cream and
softened peanut butter. Pour into the loaf tin and freeze
overnight.
Chocolate tuile
Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of
simmering water. Pour the chocolate onto a baking sheet
lined with non-stick baking parchment. Sprinkle on the
nuts and place in the fridge to firm up.
To serve
Unmould the parfait from the loaf tin, cut into slices and top
with a chocolate tuile.
mcgeough’s turf-smoked loin of lamb
with mussels & tamarind carrots
2 loins of smoked lamb
salt & pepper
2 tbsp oil for frying
32 Renvyle mussels, cleaned
2 celery sticks, diced
200ml fresh cream
200ml white wine
zest of 1 large orange
2 cardamom pods
Heat the oil in an oven-proof frying pan. Season the lamb
and fry for 5 minutes on each side, then transfer the pan to
a preheated oven at 170°c for 5 minutes or until cooked to
your liking. Allow to rest.
Pour the wine into a large saucepan over medium heat,
then add the celery, cardamom pods and mussels. Cover
the saucepan with a lid and steam the mussels until the
shells open. Strain into a bowl, reserving the liquor, and
then remove the mussels from the shells and keep warm.
Pour 200ml of the mussel liquor into a saucepan over high
heat and boil until reduced by half. Lower the heat and stir
in the cream and orange zest and season well.
Tamarind carrots
4 large carrots, peeled
100g tamarind paste
100g sugar
2 bay leaves
salt & pepper
200ml water
Cut the carrots into large dice and transfer them to a
saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Cook over
medium heat until tender.
To serve
Carve the lamb into 8 pieces and serve with the mussels,
cream sauce and carrots.
145
R EE
TE FR
IS R
EG FO
R Y
A
D
TO
146
147
ThE lEadINg Food, drINk, rETaIl aNd
hospITalITy EvENT For IrElaNd aNd NorThErN IrElaNd
IFEX is Northern Ireland’s largest showcase of the latest food & drink, interiors, catering equipment & technology
products and services. Make sure you are amongst the 5,000+ industry contacts attending from Northern Ireland
and beyond in the foodservice, retail and hospitality sectors.
sponsors:
show partners:
register early to secure your free place at: www.ifexexhibition.co.uk/yC
STRESSED DESSERTS
THE VALRHONA
PÂTISSERIE
CHAMPIONSHIP 2014
148
SPONSORED BY VALRHONA & ODAIOS FOODS
Valrhona and Odaios Foods are delighted to announce the launch of the
fourth Valrhona Pâtisserie Championship 2014. The main objective of the
Valrhona Pâtisserie Championship is to promote and advance the
standards’ of pastry chefs On the island of Ireland.
‘StresseD’ (StreetrestaurantDessert)
Life is stressful, desserts can be too. This year we want you to
show us the up side of stress. The stress that helps us to create
and break new ground. Create a modern restaurant dessert using
Valrhona chocolate with two applications, a plated restaurant
dessert and a street food version, using the StresseD theme. A
minimum of two Valrhona chocolates must be used.
The closing date for entries
is Tuesday 29th April 2014. Submit your written recipe along
with a title, accompanying photographs, an entry form and a
brief explanation on why you chose your recipe to Freda Wolfe,
Odaios Foods, 11 Magna Drive, Magna Business Park,
Citywest, Dublin 24.
Six finalists will then be chosen to compete in DIT Cathal
Brugha Street on 10th June 2014.
The Winner will receive
a 3 day training course (stage) in l’Ecole du Grand Chocolat,
Valrhona in Tain l’Hermitage, France, including meals, flights,
accommodation and a tasting menu in Maison Pic, a 3 star
Michelin Restaurant in Valence. For further competition details
and rules contact Freda Wolfe at Odaios Foods on 086 3871285
Odaios Foods: 11 Magna Business Park, Citywest, Dublin 24
t: 01 4691455 e: events@odaios-foods.com
To download an entry form visit
www.odaios-foods.com/ValrhonaPatisserieChampionship