Cheeky CHOCOLATE, FRUIT and NUT

THE RECIPE

So I am not the first to have combined chocolate with nuts and dried fruit. I had some chocolate and a bag of trail mix lying around and this recipe for simple treats are particularly good. You don't have to use a bag of trail mix, you can add nuts/seeds and dried fruit (or not) of your choice. Whatever you have to hand. So go ahead and give it a try!

INGREDIENTS:

175g Milk chocolate                       
25g Dark chocolate
100g Trail mix or (50g Nuts/seeds and 50g dried fruit of your choice)
Sea Salt (optional)

Wonderful WILD GARLIC Pesto

THE RECIPE

Wild garlic – known as ramsons, broad-leaved garlic or wood garlic is a wild relative of chives. It grows in deciduous woodlands with moist soils, preferring slightly acidic conditions. It flowers before deciduous trees leaf in the spring, filling the air with their characteristic garlic-like scent. Wild garlic grow plentifully especially in ancient woodland all over Ireland. Wild garlic pesto has appeared everywhere in recent years, so I decided to try and make some for myself. Making your own is easy and it is a wonderful alternative to the often dull shop bought jar of generic basil pesto. So go ahead and give it a try!

INGREDIENTS:

75g Wild garlic leaves                       
25g Pine nuts
1 Garlic clove, crushed and peeled
175ml  Olive oil
40g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Salt 

Cheery CELERIAC and EGGS

THE RECIPE

I am a big fan of celeriac, the unsung hero of the vegetable world, knobbly, odd-shaped, it has a subtle, celery-like flavour, with nutty overtones. Celeriac is available year round but is at its best from September to April. Choose a firm root that feels heavy for its size. Avoid those that are discoloured. This is a very comforting dish that can be eaten on its own as a lunch, or feel free to pair it with something else to make a more substantial meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks                      
125g Butter or so
Leaves of head of celery, chopped
4 eggs
Salt and black pepper

Fabulous FETA-Stuffed WHITING

THE RECIPE

Whiting is a small member of the cod family and very similar in flavour but is more economical and sustainable to buy than cod.

INGREDIENTS:

8 Whiting fillets, skinned (or unskinned if preferred)
300g Courgettes, sliced                    
150g baby Tomatoes
4 tbsp Olive oil
8 flat Mushrooms
1 tbsp Capers, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp Mint, chopped
2 tbsp Oregano, chopped
25g parma Ham, finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 spring onions, finely chopped
200g Feta cheese
Salt and black pepper

Marvellous MACKEREL, BEETROOT and POTATO Salad

THE RECIPE

Mackerel is a luxurious, sustainable, healthy and delicious oil-rich fish that is perfection when smoked. This is an easy, nutritious recipe for a smoked mackerel salad. Smoked mackerel is available plain or peppered; either works well for this dish.

INGREDIENTS:

2 smoked Mackerel fillets                    
4 small Beetroots
10 small new Potatoes
2 handfuls of baby Spinach

DRESSING
2 tbsp Horseradish cream sauce
1 Lemon juiced
125g natural Yoghurt
Salt and black pepper

Prime POT Roast BEEF

THE RECIPE

I see lots of pieces of beef in the shops on special offer. Pieces like brisket or silverside or housekeepers cut, they look like fine pieces of beef, but people often make the mistake of roasting them as if they were Sirloin, rib or fillet of beef. These pieces take longer to cook so are best for a Pot Roast and when given long slow cooking can be very delicious, serve them with some root vegetables and potatoes and it makes for a very fine family meal. Pot Roast is a slow, moist heat cooking method which makes a succulent, flavoursome meal from the less expensive beef cuts.

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg joint of beef                    
2 tbsp Olive oil
3 Carrots, peeled and chopped
3 Parsnips, peeled and chopped
4 small white onions, peeled and halved
1 head of garlic
1 handful of thyme
500 ml stout, but you can use liquid of your choice i.e. stock, water or wine
Salt and black pepper

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