Curly KALE and MEATBALL Soup

THE RECIPE

Kale is a popular vegetable, a member of the cabbage family. There are many different types of kale. The leaves can be green or purple in color, and have either a smooth or curly shape. The most common type of kale is curly kale. Kale is very high in nutrients and very low in calories, making it one of the most nutrient dense foods. Important vitamins and minerals are found in kale. I have used curly kale in this delicious soup recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
                     
2 White onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp Olive oil
250g Curly kale, roughly chopped
1200ml Chicken stock
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated

MEATBALLS
250g Minced Pork
1 clove of Garlic, minced
1 Egg
100g Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp Olive oil for frying
Salt and black pepper

Brilliant BANOFFEE Fool

THE RECIPE

I have always enjoyed a banoffee pie, this is a take on that using the same ingredients, but this is much easier to put together and just as impressive.

INGREDIENTS:

6 Plain digestive biscuits
25g Butter, melted
2 Ripe bananas
1 tbsp Lemon juice
150ml Double cream
150ml Custard

For the caramel
100g Butter
100g Brown soft sugar
1 Can of Condensed Milk

Grated chocolate to decorate

OATS about YOU?

Being aware of the compelling health benefits of oats and being an avid fan of porridge (oatmeal) as a breakfast staple, I was only delighted to accept a recent invitation to visit Flahavan's family mill in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford.

Oats were one of the first cereals cultivated by man. They were to be found growing in ancient China as long ago as 7000 BC while the Greeks are believed to be the first to make porridge (oatmeal) from oats. However, it was the Romans who not only introduced oats to other countries in Western Europe. The best quality oats grow where there is light fertile soil, where the climate is temperate and there is a rainfall of over 60cm (24") a year.

Perfect PORK Fillet with BEETROOT

THE RECIPE

The pork fillet also known as the tenderloin, is a cut of pork, this is the eye fillet that comes from within the loin. It's a lazy muscle and as such is lean, very tender and delicious. It is often sold prepackaged, available plain (not seasoned) or flavoured with a marinade. This recipe uses a plain pork fillet.

INGREDIENTS:

For the PORK Fillet
1 Pork fillet
6 Slices of Serrano ham
4 tbsp Olive oil
200ml Amontillado sherry
2 tbsp Honey

TAPAS a TASTE of SPAIN in IRELAND

This is a wonderful book, a story of food. It is about how food moves around, from country to country, settles and uproots itself again. it is a story of how food is more than just for eating, its pages speak of a shared tradition of food, of like-minded people doing like-minded things, a cultural phenomenon that can bring us closer together, make us share.

Food is essential to life and this book shows real 'Food Empathy', that is, the deeper understanding of food, where it comes from, how it is produced, and the time and effort required. This is evident based on topics in the book such as 'Vegetables', 'Foraging', 'Wild Game', the dependency on managing our resources and the importance of relationships with 'The Farmer', 'The Fishmonger' and 'The butcher'. This ethos is also present with the subjects of 'Nose to Tail' and 'Cook It Raw'.

With large Companies control of food production, limiting food choice and food misguidance through marketing and advertising, people have lost their way!

GROW COOK EAT

This book is a delight, a little confused but in a really good way, an identity crisis, unsure whether to be a gardening book or a cookbook. Greatfully it is both of these things. From sinking a seed into the soil through to sitting down to enjoy a meal made with vegetables and fruits harvested right outside your back door. 

The best way to get fresh, tasty ingredients is to grow your own. This book shows a real passion for food and is filled with practical, useful information for both novices and seasoned gardeners alike. What to grow, when, where and how each month of the year, including growing in containers, composting and more. It also provides advice on how all the resulting delicious produce should be best prepared, cooked, stored or preserved. 

The book provides excellent seasonal recipes to turn your produce in to delicious home-grown meals, from over 35 of the biggest names in food. The recipes are easy to follow and they inspire you to want to grow stuff yourself (rather than simply buy it) just to then eat it.

FROM Lynda’s TABLE

If you are to buy just one cookery book (or just one more) this year, this is the one, suitable for beginners and experienced cooks, ‘From Lynda’s Table’ challenges the reader to try new things and is a must have for every kitchen. This would be the perfect gift for the food lover in your life!

This is an impressive and beautifully produced book. The writing is engaging and brings to life Lynda’s journey with food, with experiences in the kitchens where she has worked. It is clear that Lynda has a real passion for food. This book is a wonderful balance of recipes, tips and techniques but also includes hilarious anecdotes. Lynda subtly includes ingredients and techniques to stretch the reader's repertoire, the recipes will appeal to all cooks, those with experience as well as those wanting to expand their skills and boost their confidence.

This is a must for any food lover. It is the first cookery book where I feel like I want to cook absolutely everything in it, this book has it all!!

Bold BEETROOT Dauphinoise

THE RECIPE

I have always enjoyed beetroot, this a great winter warmer, simple and quick to make and always impresses, the colour is amazing. It goes very well as a side with most dishes.

INGREDIENTS:

450g (1lb) of Beetroot
300ml cream
1 Garlic Clove cut in half
Freshly grated Nutmeg
25g (1oz) Butter
Salt and Black Pepper

Super SERRANO HAM-wrapped POTATOES

THE RECIPE

I have always enjoyed Tapas, but most especially when on holidays recently, I ate it nearly every day. I decided it was time to try making a tapa at home. This recipe is super simple with few ingredients. It is really tasty and is equally great with an ice cold beer or a glass of wine!

INGREDIENTS:

12 Small new potatoes, scrubbed
12 Slices of serrano ham
2 tbsp Olive oil
Sea salt, to serve

GROW your own MINT

Mint is an essential herb to have growing near the kitchen. It is also a perennial, which means you plant it once and it grows every year if you look after it, but in reality it doesn't take much, just make sure you keep it well watered. Mint favours moist soil and does best in sun, but it will also take some shade. Mint is in season from March to October each year. For cooking, mint is used in sweet and savoury dishes, to flavour and garnish.

Everybody has a windowsill, whether you live in a city or the country. This is a very simple and quick way of growing your mint. Supermarkets sell potted herbs for use in the kitchen. So if you want to avoid the wait for home-sown and would like to extend the life of your shop-bought mint, this is how to do it.

METHOD:
First of all, as soon as you bring potted mint home from the supermarket, take off the cellophane wrapper and give it a good watering if the soil feels dry. Also feel free to use the mint in a recipe first, I stripped the plant of a lot of leaves before potting it on.

CHILLI Chicken RAMEN

THE RECIPE

Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish. I have always enjoyed this dish, but most especially when I spent time in Tokyo, I ate it nearly every day. This recipe is based mostly on ingredients I have growing in my garden. I made courgette noodles with a spiralizer in place of the more usual egg noodles. This is a delicious, fresh and filling main course and is really refreshing even during summer.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Red (Green) chilli's, finely chopped, cut some into slices to use as a garnish
1 Garlic clove, minced
2cm Piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 Chicken breasts
600ml Chicken stock
2 tbsp Fish sauce
300g fine thread noodles (or Courgette noodles)
Bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
1 Head of Pak choi, shredded (or Oriental salad mix)
1 Red onion, halved and thinly sliced (or Spring onion, chopped)
1 Lime, quartered (optional garnish)
Water, boiling
Salt

Rambunctious RHUBARB and STRAWBERRY Fool (V)

THE RECIPE

Alright, so it's rhubarb yet again, but stick with me, I also use strawberries, it's a great combination. This is a deliciously indulgent dessert, simple to make, great anytime but most especially on a hot Summer's day.

INGREDIENTS:

250g Rhubarb
250g Strawberries
250g Plain Yoghurt
250ml Double cream
100g Caster sugar
50ml Water

Serves 4

Radical RHUBARB Kulfi (V)

THE RECIPE

Alright, so it's rhubarb again, but this time I have used it as a dessert ingredient. I just have such an abundance of rhubarb in the garden at the moment, I feel I must use it. It often gets over looked. Kulfi is a popular frozen dairy dessert from India. Often known as "Indian ice cream", similarities in appearance and taste; however it is denser and creamier. Due to its density, kulfi takes a longer time to melt than traditional ice-cream. This is simple to make, and a great alternative to ice-cream if you don't have an ice-cream maker.

INGREDIENTS:

250g Rhubarb
250ml Evaporated milk
250ml Condensed milk
250ml Double cream
4 Cardamom pods, crushed slightly
2cm Piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
1 Orange
30g caster sugar
Mint to garnish (optional)

Serves 6

Rare RHUBARB and GOATS CHEESE Salad (V)

THE RECIPE

So, rhubarb is generally considered to be a dessert ingredient. It is rare to see it used elsewhere, but the fruity sourness goes really well with the goats' cheese in this simple, but delicious salad.

INGREDIENTS:

50g butter
4 tsp granulated Sugar
3 thin, red, crisp Rhubarb stalks, cut into batons
4 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and Black Pepper
baby Salad leaves
50g Goats’ cheese, crumbled