Garlicky Mussels

The first time I tasted these intensely flavored mussels was at home when my Mum put them on the table for the family to eat. A big dish, with the shellfish carefully laid out in a spiral, all I can say is that they did not last long and we all were calling for more.

A great pre dinner nibble or a starter with a little salad is where these shine.

Serves 6

48 rope harvested Mussels cleaned

Garlic butter

75g of fresh soft white breadcrumbs

Cook the mussels in a large pot with a good splash of white wine over a high heat until they open. Drain and keep the liquid for a fish soup or stock for a sauce.

To make the garlic butter, peel and crush 2 large cloves of garlic in a mortar with 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gradually beat in the butter until it all comes together.

Now spread the soft butter evenly over the mussels in their shells. Dip each one into the breadcrumbs. They can be prepared ahead to this point and kept in a fridge until called for.

Before serving preheat the grill and place the mussels under it until nice and brown, serve at once.

Go for the Oyster

OYSTER ROCKEFELLER

The famous poet Jonathan Swift once said, “He was a bold man that first ate an oyster”. There are two types in Ireland the Native and the Rock oyster, If I had a choice I would eat the Native Oyster all day, they are smaller and a little sweeter than the rock but that said once they both are fresh and handled properly they are delicious. So go for it and leave your preconceptions at the door.

This dish is simple to prepare and beautiful to eat.

Serves 3

Get your hands on a proper oyster knife, preferably one with a hand guard, this will save you from a nasty gash. Always use a tea towel, its prevents the Oyster slipping.

6 fresh oysters opened

1 tbsp. of butter

1 good handful of fresh spinach leaves

1 tbsp. of finely chopped shallot

1 tbsp. of chopped parsley

1 tbsp. of chopped tarragon

1 tbsp. of fresh breadcrumbs

A dash of Tabasco sauce

1 lemon

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the spinach, shallot and herbs, cook until the spinach is wilted and add the breadcrumbs, Tabasco and a little salt, cook on for a few minutes and blitz in a food processor until you have a nice green paste.

Heat the grill and put the oysters on a baking tray and spoon the spinach paste evenly on top of the oysters, grill for a few minutes and serve with lemon.

Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year Final

The Future is Bright.....

Long Boarding at its best

just had to put this up

For your Soul

This is a beautiful piece of music, food for the soul....

A French Bistro Classic Quiche Lorraine

A French Bistro Classic, if made with the best of ingredients served slightly warm with a simple salad, it is comfort food at its best. I use individual tartlets for this with the salad piled high on top; it looks great as well as tasting fantastic.

Short crust pastry

1 whole egg

225g plain flour

110g good Irish butter

Sieve the flour into a large bowl, cut the butter into little cubes and rub into the flour with your fingertips until you form breadcrumb. Now add the egg and bring the pastry together, the pastry should be a little dry. Cover with cling film and place in a fridge for 20 minutes. This will rest the pastry and make it easier to handle.

Quiche Filling

Serves 6

130g of streaky bacon cut into small lardons

1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil

120g very finely chopped onion

2 large free-range eggs

300ml double cream or half milk half cream

1 teaspoon of chopped parsley

1 teaspoon of finely chopped chives

1 teaspoon of finely chopped tarragon

60g grated Gruyere cheese

Salt and white pepper

18 x 3 cm quiche tin

Line the quiche tin with the thinly rolled out short crust pastry. Line the empty pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill it to the top with baking beans. Rest for 20 minutes in a fridge, then bake blind in a hot oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until the pastry is turning golden brown. Remove the beans, brush a little egg over the base to seal it and return to the oven for 1 minute.

Fry the bacon in a little oil until nice and crisp, dry on kitchen paper and set aside. Sweat off the finely chopped onion in a little oil, meanwhile whisk the eggs cream and milk together add the herbs, bacon and cheese, check for seasoning. Pour into the pastry case and return to the oven for 20 -30 minutes.

Serve warm with a nice green salad dressed simply with French dressing.

A day in the life of a chef

I did this a few months back and forgot about it until today, again its all about the producers and of course where the passion comes from..

Ardkeen Quality Food Stores

Since I am always going on about local suppliers and local food this is a taste of the real thing. The crew at Ardkeen Quality Food Store put this together and it sais it all, watch it.......

Whats up doc?

Rabbit Stew.

Rabbit was once a luxury for most families but over time it has disappeared from menus in Ireland. It is a beautiful meat to eat and great fun to cook. This recipe is a simple one so give it a try and watch your guests faces as they eat and rediscover a taste from times gone bye.

Serves 6-4

1 rabbit

350g streaky bacon

450g onions

350 carrot, peeled and sliced

700ml of good stock

Sprig of thyme

350g of mushrooms sliced

1 tablespoon of parsley

Joint the rabbit into 8 pieces and set aside. Cut the bacon into neat lardons and in a pan sauté until crisp, transfer to a casserole.

In the same frying pan sauté the rabbit pieces until nice and golden, add to the bacon. Sauté the onion and carrot in a little butter and again add to the casserole, deglaze the sauté pan with stock, bring to the boil and pour over the rabbit pieces. Add the thyme and season well and place in an oven for 30 -45 minutes at 170 degrees.

When the rabbit is cooked strain off the cooking liquid and pour into a pan. Bring to the boil and reduce. Add back to the meat and sauté the mushrooms and add to the meat and stock, now add the cream and parsley and serve at once.

SUPPORT LOCAL

We hear this slogan everywhere "support local", but the thing is, if we don't we will be in danger of loosing our food heritage to big global food corporations. We in Ireland have the best of raw ingredients in the world, we have some of the best farmers, best chefs and a passion for food that has to be harnessed and the only way we can do this is by supporting local butchers, fish mongers, grocers, bakers and anyone else that is involved in creating great food for us to eat.
I came across a fantastic product this week made by a brilliant woman, Julie Calder-Potts, its Irelands answer to maple syrup. A thick pure organic apple syrup made in Highbank Orchards in Co. Kilkenny (www.highbankorchards.com) this stuff will go with almost anything, roast pork, porridge, pancakes, ham, and I recon it would be a match made in heaven with pan fried herrings coated in oats. So if you see it buy it and support local.
Another local man who is in business 30 years this week is Billy Murphy, a old time butcher with old time values, he seeks out his own cattle and butchers them to sell in his shop in Waterford Shopping Centre. He goes about his business quietly keeping quality meat and serving loyal customers. His son Aidan Murphy spent two years rattling pots and pans in the Kitchens at the castle learning a trade which he now applies in the cook shop at his fathers butchers shop. So again if you are in the area go in and ask Billy for some of his own beef, you will not be disappointed...