Chargrilled Salmon with ‘Irelandaise’ - forty shades of green for Lá Fhéile Pádraig

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After the Rugby yesterday, we should be celebrating St Brian's Day, but let's talk about St Patrick. How very 'Irish' of us to have a patron saint who wasn’t even, well, Irish! Maybe he was chosen because we owe him. 

You see, we ... um... kinda... um... kidnapped the boy Patrick back in the 5th century from our neighbours, the Romans, next door in Wales. Legend has it, we enslaved the poor lad for seven years in miserable conditions. We didn’t even have the good grace to give him back. He escaped in the end.

Perhaps suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, Patrick returned and – according to myth – spent 30 years preaching and rooting out snakes (aka pagans) – although it is entirely possible that legend has him confused with another Roman who was also wandering the island at around the same time trying to convert us heathen folk into god-fearing Christians.

Moving swiftly on, by 15 centuries or so, and things have changed quite a bit. We no longer have to kidnap people to bring them to our shores. They come quite willingly.

People come for the breath-taking scenery (Put Glendalough on your “Things to do before I die” list. As far as I’m concerned, on a sunny day, there is no better place.)

They come for the renowned cead mile failte – ‘a hundred thousand welcomes’ – it may have slipped to ‘ninety-nine thousand welcomes’ over the Celtic tiger years but you’ll still find most of the 5 million or so natives more than friendly and helpful.

People come for the culture, the music, the literature (every last one of us is a writer – it’s obligatory).

They may not come specifically for the Guinness, however (despite Diageo’s protests to the contrary) Guinness definitely tastes better in Ireland than anywhere else, and even then there are some places which can pull a better pint than others.

People come for the food – for the cold, clear seas that produce wonderful seafood; for the clean rivers that surrender salmon and trout to patient souls; for rolling countryside (available in at least forty shades of green) that yields gold ingots of outstanding butter, and superb lamb and beef.

The food traditionally associated with Patrick’s Day isn’t particularly lavish – it’s simple, filling, peasant grub which is exactly what you’ll need to shore you up if you are planning to attend a parade. If however, like me, you are planning a lazy day punctuated with bouts of reclining in front of the telly, here’s a quick and easy dish that uses butter instead of oil in a mayonnaise-style sauce - 'Irelandaise'. This recipe makes about 8 times more sauce than you need but that's good news as it is great on steamed veg, baked potatoes, grilled chops etc.

For a lazy fish dish for 2, you will need…

‘Irelandaise’

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I prefer the extra strong variety)

¼ teaspoon salt

150g butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 

2 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon finely chopped capers 

Grilled Salmon
2 salmon steaks or fillets
a little extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of salt and a little freshly ground black pepper

Method

[This sauce contains raw egg - the usual warnings apply]

First make the ‘Irelandaise’: Place the egg yolk in a bowl and add the mustard and salt. Whisk together until the mixture thickens slightly. An electric whisk is best for this.

Trickle about a teaspoon of melted butter into the mixture and whisk until it has completely disappeared. If you add the butter too fast the mixture will split. (See the fix at the end of this recipe to remedy this if necessary.) Repeat this trickling and whisking process until you have used about a third of the butter, allowing it to disappear into the mixture before adding the next drizzle. The mixture should start to thicken.

Slowly and steadily, trickle another third of the butter into the mixture, whisking all the time. The sauce should be thick and creamy by now. Now add the lemon juice, which will thin it out a little, and whisk until combined before whisking in the remaining butter at a slow trickle.

Stir in the herbs and capers. Cover until required. At room temperature this will remain soft, and similar in texture to mayo. In the fridge, it will harden. Either way, it goes beautifully with grilled fish, and is pretty good used for garlic bread, on baked potatoes, on steamed vegetables.

For the grilled salmon: lightly oil the fish and season it with salt and black pepper. Place on a medium-hot grill pan (or frying pan). Cook for about 3 minutes, skin-side down. You'll see the colour change as the fish cooks. When it has crept about half-way up the fish, gently turn it and finish cooking on the other side for a further 3 or so minutes, or until the flesh is not longer translucent.  The crispy skin is delicious too.

Serve with vegetables and a swirl of ‘Irelandaise’.

Tip

If your ‘Irelandaise’ splits (or curdles) simply take a fresh bowl, add a new egg yolk, and slowly add the curdled mixture, a little at a time, beating between additions until the curdled mix is incorporated.

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Chorizo and Roasted Red Pepper Quiche... it’s pronounced “Quickie” Bill!

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Ah, Quiche. It is so often the butt of jokes, an object of scorn. And yet when my sister-in-law, Rosie, brings her - admittedly, extra fabulous - quiches to a family gathering, there isn’t a morsel left over. (I’m sure some people even lick the quiche dishes clean when no one is looking.)

Once, her quiches had an unfortunate accident between the oven and the table. Guests, who had already caught the scent of pie, seemed quite willing to scoop up the ruins with a spoon - slivers of glass and all. Good sense prevailed in the end, although several people eyed the bin longingly during the course of the evening.

There is that famous joke where Bill Clinton and Al Gore are out to lunch in the middle of the Lewinsky storm. Bill Clinton asks the waitress for a quiche. The waitress sternly tells him she doesn't think that's a good idea given his circumstances. Gore leans in and confides that "it is pronounced Keesh, Bill".

This one isn’t, though, Bill. It is pronounced “Quickie” because it was made in such a hurry, in a WOW (War On Waste) assault on the contents of the fridge.

For a 23cm Chorizo and Roasted Red Pepper “Quickie” with Nutmeg Pastry you will need...

Quickie Nutmeg Pastry

180g plain flour

100g butter, from the fridge (cut into pieces)

1 egg yolk

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

3 – 4 tablespoons iced water 

a little extra flour for your work surface 

Preheat the oven to 180°C when you put the pastry in the fridge to chill

Place everything except the water in your food processor and pulse until combined and resembling a very fine crumb. Add 3 tablespoons of the water and pulse again. The mixture should come together in a soft ball of pastry. If it doesn’t, add another tablespoon of water and pulse again. Wrap the pastry in cling film or place in a freezer bag and chill for about 10 minutes while you prepare the ingredients for the filling.  

Quickie Nutmeg Pastry

When the pastry has chilled, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a circle approximately 30cm in diameter. Use to line a quiche dish or a 23cm tart tin no less than 3cm deep. Roll your rolling pin over the top to trim off any excess pastry and, using a fork, prick the base of the pastry before lining it with aluminium foil or greaseproof paper and filling it with baking beans (ceramic, or dried beans kept for the purpose). It is well worth taking this extra step to avoid soggy pastry. 

Bake for 10 minutes before removing the beans and foil. Bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while you continue with the filling. 

Quickie Filling

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, halved then cut into thin slices

150g spicy chorizo sausage, diced

200g roasted red peppers (mine were from a jar)

50g Emmental cheese, diced

150mls Greek yoghurt

150mls single cream

2 eggs, beaten

100g Gruyere cheese, grated 

Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat and gently fry the onion slices until they are translucent and beginning to take on golden edges. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, scatter the diced chorizo over the base of the pastry. Arrange the roasted red peppers on top, followed by the onions and finally the diced Emmental cheese.

Quickie WOW (War On Waste) Filling 

Mix together the yoghurt, cream and eggs and 50g of the Gruyere cheese. Pour into the pastry shell, making sure to coat the rest of the filling ingredients with the mixture. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Gruyere cheese.

Say Cheese !

Place on a shallow baking tray (in case of overflow, or spills while baking – especially if you are using a loose-bottomed tin). 

Return the filled pastry to the oven and bake for about 25 – 30mins or until the top is golden brown and the filling just set. 

'Keesh' or 'Quickie'? Who cares as long as it's delicious!

Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving.

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Love is ... sharing your Baileys Chocolate Biscuit Cake

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St Valentine mightn’t have been Irish to begin with, but we’ve certainly adopted him. His relics lie in the Carmelite church at Whitefriar Street, Dublin. If you want to pop in to visit, you may have to elbow your way through the growing crush as the resting place of the Hallmark saint grows in popularity with loved-up couples. Although... according to that great bible of civilization, Wikipedia, there are about eleven St Valentines and it is not known which one inspired the retail frenzy.

Valentine’s Day would try the patience of a saint. Ok, who doesn’t like to know they are someone’s someone special... But... if this commercial outpouring of love is confined to romantic love... and then to just one day of the year, well, it’s a teeny bit exclusive, isn’t it.

For me, love is in the every day things.  It’s in the whole-hearted, rib-cracking bear-hugs from my godson; in the slightly soggy, pre-licked crisps offered by my three-year-old niece when you know she really, really, really wants them herself (“Thanks honey, but you have them, I insist! No, really – I insist”.

I asked friends and family what love meant to them. It turns out, it isn't in the grand gestures. Love is... in having the washing up done for you; in getting a cup of tea... just the way you like it... brought to one’s boudoir. Love is in chocolate; in a tiny posy of primroses; in a bunch of daffodils (preferably not ones stolen from the local park); Love is in a ‘Thank you for feeding me’ lick from a four-legged friend (awwww); it's in a crayoned picture of you looking like a happy witch; in a warm hand that reaches for your cold hand; in sharing a bag of salty, vinegary chips; Love is in cupcakes, hot from the oven; in a hug, just when you need it; it seems that love happens in lots and lots of small ways, - funnily, many of them food-related.

Dear St Valentine, when it comes to love, with all your kitsch hearts and overpriced flowers you are in the ha’penny place. But, seeing as you are now adopted Irish, here is a nod in the form of my Baileys Chocolate Biscuit Cake - for grown up friends and family. (If you are making these for kids, swap the cream liqueur for double cream).

For 1 boozy Baileys Chocolate Biscuit Cake, (or many tiny bites) you will need...

150g Marietta biscuits (or any Rich Tea type biscuit)

150g Digestive biscuits

100g dried sour cherries or dried cranberries (or a mixture of the two), chopped

50g toasted almonds, chopped

50g toasted walnuts, chopped

150g good quality plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

150g good quality milk chocolate

150mls Baileys (or a similar Irish Cream Liqueur)

100g butter, melted

25g runny honey (something floral, but not overpowering)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

50g each of dark chocolate and white chocolate for drizzling over the finished cake (optional). Oh, who am I kidding! Since when has extra chocolate been optional?

Method

Chop the biscuits into bits about the size of a 2c coin (or a penny) and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the dried fruit and the nuts. 

Place the chocolate in a heatproof (preferably non-metallic) bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t sit in the water). When the chocolate has melted, add the butter and stir gently together with a wooden spoon or spatula to avoid filling the chocolate with air bubbles. We’re not making mousse today. 

When the butter is incorporated, add the cream liqueur (or double cream if you are going for an alcohol-free version) and stir until you have a smooth, shiny lake of chocolate-y deliciousness. (It will be alarming liquid at this stage but keep the faith - it will set later in the fridge.) Finally, stir in the honey and the vanilla extract. Tip the mixture into the bowl of biscuits. Stir until every last morsel is coated with boozy chocolate lusciousness. 

Transfer to a loaf tin (if you want slices), a mixing bowl or round cake tin (if you want wedges) or a shallow pie dish or similar if you want little squares or bars,  before covering and placing in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours or overnight. You can line your chosen container with cling film if you wish but I find it just as easy to pop the container in a tray of hot water for a minute or so to melt the edges a little before turning out onto a serving tray. 

It would be utterly decadent to drizzle this little treat with even more chocolate...

 Cut into squares, wedges or bars. Share.

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Toasted Walnut & Parsley Pesto – magic !

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After the excesses of Christmas, I have a voracious craving for healthy green stuff. Even cabbage is beginning to look attractive – as long as it is cooked al dente and tossed in a little Toasted Walnut and Parsley Pesto.

Add a little of this magic green sauce to pasta or chicken, tatties or toast, and - hey pesto! – suddenly January has a little more colour!

For approximately 250mls of pesto, you will need...

1 small clove of garlic, crushed

¼ teaspoon sea salt

50g walnuts, lightly toasted

50g flat-leaf parsley

30g Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

12 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

Place everything, except the olive oil, in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the olive oil and pulse until the oil is combined with the other ingredients.

Spoon into a sterilised jar and drizzle over a little more olive oil to help exclude the air and keep the sauce fresh. This will keep in the fridge for a week or so.

Watch me make this disappear - hey pesto !

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Pecan and Sour Cherry Mincemeat (and pies) - so good they ought to be banned !

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So delicious it ought to be banned!

More than a Ho Ho Ho! from a fat man in a red suit… more than a chorus of The Holly and The Ivy… Mince Pies shout “Hey everyone, Christmas is here. Par-ty!” I love them.

These little pies-with-personality have evolved a bit since they first arrived in England, brought back by returning Crusaders. Originally they contained meat, along with the dried fruits and spices we still use today.

The first written record appears in 1557 – the same year they became an endangered species. The puritan, Oliver Cromwell, decided at this point to put a damper on Christmas  - which he felt had become associated with drunkeness and gluttony. He abolished all fun and feasting associated with the event, outlawing (so legend has it) the mince pie. Christmas festivity was restored with return of the monarchy in 1660. Phew!

By Victorian times, meat had more or less vanished from the pie (although some still include beef suet to this day).

Santa is rather partial to a mince pie or two, and you are supposed to make a wish on biting into your first. Also, apparently it is bad luck to refuse the first offered to you – but I don’t think I’ve ever refused a (homemade) mince pie so that’s not something I need to fret about.

This year, the recipe is a little different to my usual one. I was in my mother’s house when a mince pie craving struck and there were a couple of interesting substitutions as she didn’t have all the ingredients. I think I like this mixture even better.

Add some zest...

For about 4 jars of Pecan and Sour Cherry mincemeat (1.5kg in total) you will need...

... to pre-heat the oven to 100°C

300g sultanas, raisins or currents (or a mixture of all 3)

300g ready-to-eat dried apricots, finely diced

100g dried sour cherries

220g honey

100g mixed peel

50g pecans, finely chopped

50g slivered almonds

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 whole cloves – crushed to a powder

200g apple, grated

125g butter, cut into cubes

grated peel and juice of 1 large orange

grated peel and juice of 1 lemon

6 tablespoons Metaxa (or Brandy, or Whiskey)

an additional 2 tablespoons of Metaxa (or whatever alcohol you choose), to stir in at the end

Measure. Mix. Mmmmm...

Mix all the ingredients together in a large oven proof dish (with a lid). Cover and place in the preheated oven and cook gently for 3 hours, stirring every half hour or so.

When the cooking time has elapsed, remove from the oven and allow to cool, stirring briefly every half hour until cold.

Finally, stir the remaining 2 tablespoons of Metaxa (or Brandy, or Whiskey) into the cold mixture before sealing in clean, dry jars.

I usually have a jar or so left over (for non-seasonal mince pie cravings). I find it keeps well for up to a year in a cool dark place or in the fridge (if my sisters don't discover it).

Merry Mincepies Everyone!

-----

To make the pies, pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Line a bun tin with shortcrust pastry. Fill with mincemeat. Cover with a pastry lid and seal the edges before punturing to allow steam to escape while cooking. My sister skips the top layer of pastry, preferring to bury the mincemeat in a layer of chopped almonds. Delicious!

(For filo pastry pies, cut into squares a little larger than the hollows of the bun tin. Brush with melted butter and add another layer, slightly off-set. Repeat with a third layer to form a rough star shape. Press into the hollows of the bun tin and fill with Christmas mincemeat. Leave the pies open or twist the edges together to make little purses.

For puff pastry pies, I cut squares, leaving enough overhang to draw the corners together in the middle before sealing the edges.)

Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before serving with a dusting of snowy icing sugar and a swirl of whipped cream. 

-----

Wishing you a delicious Christmas and a tasty 2014 !

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Good Elf – a hot cocktail to help Santa on his way

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To: Santa Claus
c/o The North Pole

Dear Santa,

Long after I stopped believing in you - and no matter how naughty I’d been - I’d wake up on Christmas morning, to find a treat-filled stocking with a Mandarin or a Satsuma hiding in the toe. I must either have (accidentally) notched up a few brownie points during the year or perhaps you continued to believe in me.

On Christmas morning the scents of orange, the log fire, and pine from the Christmas tree would intermingle to form a signature Christmas scent as I and my siblings opened our gifts, swapped our gifts, fought over our gifts, broke our gifts, and played with the packaging.

Dear Santa, I do try to be good... but I deserve to be on your naughty list this year. I made you some cupcakes in case you got a little peckish on your way around the world. However 48 fondant eyeballs, 12 fondant moustaches, 12 fondant noses, 12 fondant carrots and 24 woolly fondant bobbles later, I’m afraid all that sugar got the better of me, and  I ate your share. (Burp!)

48 eyeballs, 12 moustaches, 12 noses, 12 carrots, 24 woolly bobbles, 1 tantrum, and 1 Good Elf later...

Dear Santa, I happen to know you are partial to orange liqueur so I have created this cocktail as a little Thank You. It's an excellent and warming alternative to mulled wine, but don’t take too long in getting here though. It smells rather tempting... (Hic!)

Dear Santa, if you like this little tipple and want to recreate it at home then you will need...

Coriander simple syrup

100g runny honey (or sugar)

100ml water

3 tablespoons coriander seed, roughly crushed 

Place the honey (or sugar) and water in a small saucepan and bring to the simmering until the honey (or sugar) is completely dissolved in the water. Now add the crushed coriander seed and leave to steep overnight. Strain to remove the seeds and keep in a screw top jar or bottle. (This will keep for at least a month in the fridge). 

Santa’s Little Helper

40mls Cointreau (or other triple sec-style orange liqueur)
1 – 2 teaspoons coriander simple syrup (see recipe above)
80mls fresh Mandarin or Satsuma juice
80mls fresh water
1 slice of orange stuck with 5 cloves 

In a tall (preferably heat proof*) glass, mix the Cointreau and the simple syrup. Put the orange juice and water in a small saucepan and bring to simmering. Add to the glass and float the slice of orange with cloves on top. 

*Santa, if your glass is not heat proof, place a metal spoon in the glass before adding the hot liquid. 

Your Good Health (or Good Elf!) and a Merry Christmas!

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Butternut Squash Soup with Sumac and Coriander Seed – good thinking, sunshine!

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I had been looking to try out the jar of sumac that I’d found recently. While I searched for divine inspiration, a ray of sunshine obligingly blazed through the window and lit up a butternut squash that had been lingering in the vegetable basket for the past few weeks. Good thinking, sunshine! This creamy, filling and surprisingly healthy soup is the result. It tastes even better the next day. Alchemy at work!

For 6-8 bowls of sunshine, you will need...

1.5kg butternut squash

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sumac*

1 teaspoon coriander seed, finely crushed

½ teaspoon salt 

a further 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 stick of celery, peeled of stringy fibres and finely chopped

1 fat clove of garlic, crushed

1.25 litres chicken stock or vegetable stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley 

I love the aroma released when the coriander seeds are crushed
- definitely worth the slight effort it takes.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C

Using a sharp knife cut the butternut squash into quarters. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Rub the quarters with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place in a shallow roasting tray, skin side down. Sprinkle evenly with the sumac, coriander seed and salt. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until tender. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle. Then, scoop out the tender flesh. Discard the skin. 

Roasted sunshine!

Meanwhile, heat another 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and celery, and cook gently without colouring until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a further minute then add the roasted flesh from the butternut squash, followed by the stock. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Liquidize the contents of the saucepan – a stick blender is perfect for this. Taste before adding salt and black pepper according to your own taste. 

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley before serving.  

*Used in Middle Eastern and some Mediterranean cuisine, sumac is a berry that is usually sold dried and crushed to a coarse powder. If you can’t find sumac, a ½ teaspoon of grated lemon zest works well as a substitute in this soup.

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