Fiorentini - FLORENTINES (V)

A Florentine biscuit (or, simply, a Florentine) is an Italian biscuit containing nuts and dried fruit and coated with chocolate.

Ingredients:

100g Butter
100g Caster Sugar
125g Flaked Almonds chopped
25g Sultanas or Raisins
25g Glace Cherries chopped
25g Stem Ginger Chopped
15ml Cream
175g of Plain or White Chocolate

Method:

Line 2 baking sheets/trays with baking paper. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the sugar, stir until dissolved  then bring the mixture to the boil for about a minute. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients except the chocolate, stir well to mix.

To SOW or NOT to SOW…

.....That was the question, with all the recent inclement weather we have experienced. I had been holding out, waiting for things to warm up a little, namely the soil. Spring appears to have arrived much later this year, It is difficult to say how late things are but two weeks, maybe three, is my guess, the swallows were very late arriving. Well what do you know, this past weekend, the first real sign of good weather and what a joy it was too, EVERYONE was out and enjoying it. While out and about, I was amazed at the number of people out in their gardens, not necessarily doing anything but just sitting, faces up to the sky and smiling absorbing the glorious rays of sunshine. It was a joy to see people just taking time out to enjoy the good weather and greeting each other as they pass by, not something I have seen for a long time, if only people were this friendly all the time. But it was a welcome relief from all the normal doom and gloom we have all experienced in the media in recent times.
I personally took advantage of the weather with a BBQ, cooked a very nice butterflied leg of lamb. I also took the opportunity to dig my raised beds, raking soil to a fine tilth (as they say) and finally sowing the first seeds direct in the ground. I have taken the approach of sowing directly as I don't really have the space to sow, in advance under cover, and the truth be known probably not the patience either. I do hope we have better weather this year and I cant wait to see "fingers crossed" my little patch bursting into life providing us with some vegetables for the table. The birds are singing and the bee's are buzzing and LIFE IS GOOD, when the sun shines and you can work outdoors.

COD, BLACK Pudding MASH and HOLLANDAISE

INGREDIENTS:

400g Potatoes 

100g Black Pudding
1tbsp Butter
Cod fillets x 2
1tbsp Olive Oil
150ml Milk
1 Bay leaf
4 peppercorns

For Hollandaise

3tbsp White wine vinegar
3 egg yolks
200g of butter cubed
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and Black Pepper

WAGYU talking ABOUT?

What is wagyu beef all about? You also hear the term Kobe beef thrown around a lot too. 
Wagyu beef is fast becoming one of the most desirable meats in the world, known for its intense marbling producing naturally enhanced flavour, tenderness and juiciness to the meat. Wagyu literally means Japanese cow and refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling. The meat is high in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids as a result of its intense marbling. Wagyu is proven to be significantly lower in saturated fat and higher in healthy monounsaturated fat making it far healthier than any other breed of beef available on the market.This high degree of marbling is unique to the Wagyu breed and gives the meat a buttery flavor which cannot be rivaled in tenderness or juiciness by any other beef. In several areas of Japan, beef is shipped with area names. Some examples are Kobe, Mishima, Matsusaka, Omi, and Sanda beef. The well known Japanese Wagyu cattle from the region of Kobe, is where Kobe beef comes from. Because of Japan's rugged terrain, Japanese farmers in the Kobe region and isolated areas, use different breeding and feeding techniques such as massaging cattle or adding beer or sake to the feeding regime of the Wagyu. It is suggested that this was done to aid in digestion and induce hunger during humid seasons, but it appears to have no effect on the meat's flavor. Massaging may have been introduced to prevent muscle cramping on small farms in Japan where the animals did not have sufficient room to use their muscles. 

Irish consumers can now buy a homegrown version of Kobe beef.The animals, I am sure are treated with the same level of "care, respect and love" as the well known Japanese Wagyu cattle from the region of Kobe.
I had some Irish wagyu beef burgers (posh burgers) at home last week and they were delicious. I will have to try a wagyu steak very soon!! 

HAPPY Birthday BIGA!

I have just realised my Sourdough biga which is also called a 'starter', 'ferment' or 'mother' is a year old, that means I have been making my own bread for the past year and I have eaten no bread other than Sourdough. Sure, it takes time, effort and a little love, but I can never go back to mass produced shop bought bread.  Behind every good loaf of Sourdough is the starter -  this is the way bread has been made for centuries, making use of the wild yeast spores that are found on the surface of sugary ingredients.

The starter is made using flour, water and something sweet, such as fruit. The idea is to introduce simple sugars, which the wild yeast spores and natural bacteria can ferment easily, and bubble quicker. The starter is a fermenting dough or batter, the term sourdough broadly applies to breads raised with wild yeasts. When you make a dough on this starter, the acid produced by the lactic bacteria helps to strengthen the elastic gluten and intensifies the flavour of the finished bread. The first time you make your starter, you need to be patient, as you will need to feed it every day, and it could take a few weeks until it is bubbling happily and smells sweetly acidic before it is ready to use with your first loaf. This is how I made my starter and kept it bubbling away happily to this day.

Mia's FRITES (V)

Chips, fries, or frites – whichever name you prefer to use – they’re Belgian! And they take this responsibility very seriously. Made with potatoes, cooked twice and served in a paper cone with a side of mayonnaise, these Belgian treats embody potato perfection. Whether enjoyed at a Michelin star restaurant or right off the street, this Belgian specialty is not to be missed.

Belgian Frites are part of Belgian culinary and cultural heritage. Even if they are sometimes referred to as French Fries there is nothing French about them. Apparently the name originated due to a linguistic misunderstanding, because in old English ‘to French’ meant ‘cut into sticks’. According to the Belgian historian Jo Gerard, chips appeared on the dining tables in Namur, French speaking Ardennes and Dinant in the latter half of the 17th century. Poorer inhabitants in these towns used to fry tiny fish. When the river froze in the winter the fish were replaced by sticks of potatoes cut to the same small size of the fish.

The following recipe is my take on Belgian Frites at home, at the request of my four year old daughter Mia, who incidentally was born in Belgium.

STEAK the PARISIAN way

(Chateaubriand, Mushroom a la Crème, Gratin Dauphinois and Salad with Vinaigrette)

Cooking this dish for the first time was inspired by a very recent and memorable trip to Paris. I puréed the mushroom a la crème and although really delicious not the most appealing visually, so I won't do that next time, trial and error...

Captivating CAULIFLOWER SOUP with BLACK PUDDING

Ingredients:
                          
Large white onion, peeled and finely chopped x1
Butter x25g (1oz)
Olive oil x1 tablespoon (15ml)
Cloves of Garlic, mince x2
Sprig of fresh thyme x1
Bay leaf x1
Milk 1200ml (2pints)
Cauliflowers x2
Black Pudding x200g (8oz)
Salt and black pepper

Serves 4

French ONION Soup (Soupe à l'oignon)

Ingredients: 
                          
Large white onions, peeled x3
Butter x50g (2oz)
Plain flour x1 tablespoon (15ml)
Beef Stock 1200ml (2pints)
Gruyère cheese x100g (4oz)
Bay leaf x1
Salt and black pepper
Crusty bread of your choice ( traditionally French Baguette)

Serves 4

EXPLORING the POSSIBILITIES

I very recently attended a Self Sufficiency - Food From Your Garden Class at Hunters Lodge in the beautiful Carlow countryside. Except for me arriving a little late (sorry got a little lost), the class started with introductions and each of us giving some background as to the extent of our growing and rearing to date, if any, and our future aspirations, hopes dreams....
Our host Fiona then shared the story of her long and varied journey, the ups and the downs, and where she is today with the Hunters Lodge garden providing her family with so much food....eggs, vegetables, potatoes, apples, soft fruits, honey, tomatoes, herbs, chicken, duck, pork, ham, bacon and turkey and more.

It's not difficult to make a small change in your life somewhat towards self-sufficiency, by considering some of  the options that are open to you within the confines of your own garden or even apartment balcony.  This class explores and allows you to understand the possibilities for your space, from growing your own herbs and vegetables, from keeping Chickens to Pigs.

Delightful DUCK, ROCKET and PARMESAN Salad

THE RECIPE:

When it comes to a salad, not relegated to starter or accompaniment, one that is a whole meal in itself, this has to be one of my favourites. This does not take long to make and is simply delicious served with some nice crusty bread. Sourdough, which has only been a recent discovery of mine is now my bread of choice to serve with this dish.

INGREDIENTS:
                            
2 Duck breasts
4 really large handfuls of Rocket
25g Parmesan Cheese
25g Pine nuts
6 tbsp Balsamic vinegar 
6 tbsp Olive Oil
Crusty bread of your choice

THIS Old GREENHOUSE

This old greenhouse is gettin' shaky
This old greenhouse is gettin' old
This old greenhouse lets in the rain
This old greenhouse lets in the cold

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I spent a very wet day in October last year dismantling an old greenhouse, I got it home and was then tasked with the challenge of putting it back together again. It started with digging and pouring foundations and then constructing a brick base and filling the planting areas with compost and soil. Then came reassembling the framework and fixing it to the base. Finally, cleaning and fixing all the panes of glass in place. It was a long project, but with the end results very worthwhile and low cost. Good as new, very much looking forward to the growing season ahead.

Brick base

Framework fixed to base

Completed Greenhouse, Good as new!

IT'S all ABOUT the BIGA baby!

The biga

I very recently successfully made my first loaf of Sourdough and was very pleased with the results. Behind every good loaf of Sourdough is the biga, which is also called a 'starter', 'ferment' or 'mother' -  this is the way bread has been made for centuries, making use of the wild yeast spores that are found on the surface of sugary ingredients. The starter is made using strong flour, water and something sweet, such as fruit. The idea is to introduce simple sugars, which the wild yeast spores and natural bacteria can ferment easily, and bubble quicker. The starter is a fermenting dough or batter, the term sourdough broadly applies to breads raised with wild yeasts. When you make a dough on this starter, the acid produced by the lactic bacteria helps to strengthen the elastic gluten and intensifies the flavour of the finished bread. The first time you make your starter, you need to be patient, as you will need to feed it every day, and it could take a few weeks until it is bubbling happily and smells sweetly acidic before it is ready to use with your first loaf.

My first Sourdough Bread

200 HEALTHY feasts

This is a nice little book with clear instructions and straightforward recipes. It size is also very convenient for people on the go and can be perused at ones leisure while making the daily commute into the office, or during a coffee break, or anytime you have a couple of moments to spare, allowing you to review recipes and plan your meals in advance.

There is a good variety of interesting and exciting recipes in the book, divided into chapters covering breakfast, starters, soups, desserts, meals for any time of the day and any occasion, each recipe consists of a page containing a list of ingredients and clear instructions, with a colour photo of the dish on the page opposite.

This book is based upon healthy eating and sometimes this is a subject often unfairly viewed as dull, put please don't let this dissuade you, just skip past the introduction initially and jump straight into the recipes. Once you have cooked and enjoyed many of these meals you will have no problem in understanding and appreciating the message in the introduction, it is not a lecture and makes complete sense.  

This is a cookery book, I have enjoyed using, producing some great dishes which have been completely enjoyed, unknowingly as the Healthy option.