Japanese Calamari with Sweet Chilli Mayo

These calamaris are a fantastic drinks canape for the party season. The slow baking of the calamari makes the squid really tender, avoiding the normally rubbery texture of over cooked calamari which is deep fried, a bonus then that this method of cooking calamari is way lighter on calories.Whoop!!!

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3 Squid pockets (frozen is fine and defrost overnight in the fridge)
• Panko Japanese Breadcrumbs (pulse 4 slices of toast if you can't get panko breadcrumbs)
• 1 cup of cornflour
• salt/pepper
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 egg, beaten

Sweet Chilli Mayo

• 1/2 cup good quality mayo
• 2 tbsp of sweet chili sauce
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt/pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper, sprayed with low fat cooking spray 
2. Cut the squid pocket into rings
3. Combine the cumin powder, salt and pepper to the flour and put in shallow bowl
4. break up the egg and put in another shallow bowl
5. Put the panko breadcrumbs in yet a another bowl
6. Dip the squid rings one at a time into the flour mixture, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs and place them in single layer on baking tray.
7. Baked for 18-20 minutes
8. For the mayo, combine the mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper and sweet chilli sauce. Transfer to a clean bowl for serving.
9. Place the rings in a bowl along side the spicy mayo and dig in. I guarantee you will be left wanting more!

Seasoned French Fries and Wasabi Mayo

These are another great canape for a drinks party. Who doesn't like french fries?!!!! These are a little posh and served with a wasabi mayo for a grown-up kick.

Ingredients

• 5 potatoes, chopped thinly with skins still on.
• 1 tbsp of Arromat all purpose seasoning
• 1 tsp of wasabi paste
• 6 tbsp of good quality mayo
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped

Method

1. These are 3 times cooked chips, the only method for the ultimate crispy, fluffy chip.
2. Add the chopped potato to a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil on a high heat.
3. Drain the potatoes when the water comes to the boil, and allow to rest in the colander so the steam leaves the potatoes.
4. Add the chips to a deep fryer and fry until almost cooked through.
5. Remove from the fat, and rest until just before you are ready to serve.
6. Add the fries to the fat for one last blast, until nice and golden.
7. Drain on some kitchen paper and douce with the Arromat seasoning.
8. Serve with the wasabi mayo, which is made by simply combining the wasabi paste, spring onion and mayo.

Nigella's Christmas Bonbons

If like our family you spend a good share of the week visiting family and friends during Christmas, lots of tins of chocolates and biscuits are distributed and redistributed. Here is a great edible gift which will help you make use of leftover Christmas pudding. It's an adaptation of Nigella Lawsons Christmas Puddinis. Nigella is a genius in my eyes, and these sweets are up there with the best of her. She does warn that they are a bit fiddly to make, so here I need to warn likewise. At times I cursed them so much I contemplated just forgetting about them. But that is probably more to do with my extreme impatience, than these being too hard to handle. As Nigella also points out, once they are made.....man was it worth it, and yes I'll definitely make them every Christmas now.

Makes approx 30 sweets

Ingredients

• 350g of leftover Christmas Pudding
• 4 tbsp of golden syrup
• 125g of dark chocolate
• 1 tbsp of brandy
• 100g good quality white chocolate
• 6 red glacé cherries
• 6 green glacé cherries

Method

1. Melt the dark chocolate over a bowl of barely simmering water.
2. Crumble the pudding and mix with the brandy and golden syrup.
3. Add the melted chocolate and mix well until combined.
4. Lay a baking sheet with baking paper.
5. Put on a pair of disposable gloves and roll 30 little balls of the mixture.
6. Lay them in a row on the baking sheet and cool in a fridge until they are firm.
7. Melt the white chocolate and then allow to cool for 5-7 minutes.
8. Cut the red cherries to resemble berries from holly branch, and cut the green cherries into strips to resemble holly leaves.
9. Pour the white chocolate over the bonbons and place one piece of red cherry and two pieces of green cherries on top.

10. Return to the fridge to firm completely then place in tins or cardboard boxes and you have a great gift for visiting family and friends for New Years.

Boozy Chocolate Biscuit Cake

This has been adapted from my mother-in-law secret chocolate biscuit cake. Her's is totally awesome, it was the talk of a recent party, and I ate more than my share. I was hoping I could steal the recipe and play around with it a bit , by adding nuts and brandy. The result is a great flavor and textured cake perfect as a last minute edible Christmas gift. If making for the little ones, I'd omit the nuts and brandy and add some mini marshmallows perhaps.

Ingredients

• 1 packet of marrieta biscuits (or rich tea),crushed to rubble
• 1 beaten egg
• 50g of chopped mixed nuts
• 4 tsp of dark cocoa powder
• 6 oz sugar
• 2 tsp of brandy (optional) [rum, whiskey or sherry would also be yum)
• 250g margarine/butter

Method

1. Melt the margarine slowly on a hob
2. Once fully melted add the sugar and cocoa and stir well to combine
3. Allow the mixture to cool
4. Add the beaten egg and stir until incorporated  (this thickens the mixture). Make sure the chocolate mixture is cool though, otherwise you will have scrambled egg, which is not a good flavour combo.
5. Finally add the brandy, and stir. Then add the biscuits and nuts and mix fully with the mixture.
6. Put in a container lined with parchment paper and press down well.
7. Refrigerate overnight.
8. Cut into squares and try to refrain from eating the whole batch yourself.

These are a fantastic homemade gift.

Nicola's Christmas Cake

So excited......... my good friend Nicola O'Rourke has agreed to guest on my blog with her amazing Christmas Cake recipe. Nicola is a fantastic cook and a great baker and I'm very honoured that she agreed to share her delicious recipe with us, and here's hoping she'll share more kitchen secrets in the future. For those of you who haven't already made their Christmas Cake, you might consider this yummy recipe. And for those of you who have made their cake but wondering about the decorating, then check out Nicola's traditional way of decorating the cake....

CHRISTMAS CAKE

To this day my mother still bakes a variety of different cakes and sweets regularly.  For years as a young girl during the run up to Christmas I watched my mother make Christmas Cakes and Christmas Plum Puddings and other festive treats.  We well and truly knew it was Christmas when the aroma of baking was emanating from our kitchen.  This year I decided to try my own and yes it did bring back fond memories I had with my mother all those years ago.  I did have to ring her to remind me about the lining of the tin!!!

Ingredients

225g/8oz Cream or Plain Flour

175g/6oz Butter (at room temp)

175g/6oz Muscavado Brown Sugar

½ teaspoon Mixed Spice

½ teaspoon Nutmeg

4 large eggs

500g Packet Luxury Fruit Mix

375g Packet Fruit Mix

100g Packet Chopped Mixed Nuts

100g Packet Ground Almonds

Ride of 1 Lemon

Rind of 1 Orange

2 tablespoons Whiskey

Step 1 and 2 should be done the night before.

Step 1

Prepare Fruit:

I soaked the 500g Packet Luxury Fruit Mix and 375g Packet Fruit Mix in Whiskey over night.  The recipe says 2 tablespoons, I did an easy pour. I like to be generous, it is Christmas after all.  I stirred the fruit a few times that night and following day before began baking.

Step 2

Lining the Tin:

Line a 20cms/8”round or 18cms/7” Square deep cake tin with double layer of parchment.  I’m using a round tin, so I cut two circles of greaseproof paper and one circle of brown paper.  You need to put a layer of greaseproof paper around your tin, fringe the end of that so it will sit in end of tin.  Place the brown circle down on the fringed paper and then place the 2 pieces of greaseproof.  Finish off by circulating brown paper round your tin, secure in place with twin or a straight pin.

Ok let’s get started:

1.         Preheat oven to 120 Degrees C/ Gas ½

2.         Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.  Beat in the eggs with a few spoonfuls of the flour.  Sieve in the remaining flour and the spices.  Mix well.

3.         Finally stir in the fruit mixes, chopped nuts, ground almonds, lemon rind, orange rind and Whiskey.  Ensure ingredients are well combined.

4.         Transfer to prepared tin, level off top with back of the spoon.  Bake for about 3 ½ to 4 hours but check at regular intervals after 2 ½ hours.

5.         When baked (a knife inserted into cake should come out clean, no dough attached to it) remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin.

6.         When cold remove from tin and wrap in greaseproof paper, then tin foil.  Store in a cool dry place until ready for decorating.

Note:

Ovens vary a lot nowadays so the above temperatures and times are just guidelines.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines.

My mothers tip.  After an hour in the oven, with a sheet of brown paper, cut a diamond in middle of sheet, cover the cake to avoid the top burning.

Leave cooked cake in tin over night to ensure it is fully cooled.

Decorating -

Now you can cheat and buy the ready made marzipan and roll on icing, but sticking with tradition, I recreated her almond paste and royal icing topping.

Ingredients

Almond’s

½ lb ground almonds

¼ lb icing sugar

¼ lb caster sugar

1 egg beaten

Drop almond essence

Drop whiskey

Method:

Mix almonds, caster sugar and icing sugar in bowl with a wooden spoon.

Beat the egg, brush the top of the cake with some beaten egg.

Wet ingredients with the rest of the egg, add a drop of essence and whiskey.

Mix well using hands as that will bring out the oil in the almonds.

Make into a ball, put icing sugar on board and roll out almond until you get it to the size of the top of cake.  When you place it on cake give it a gentle roll with rolling pin to even it out.

Icing

Follow instructions on Royal icing packet, cover all the cake, finish with some Christmas ribbon and plastic cake toppers.

Enjoy, and Happy Christmas!!!

Created by Nicola O’Rourke 19/12/2011.                                    

In conjunction with Shamrock and Odlums recipe from Dunnes Stores.

Ginger, Garlic, & Chilli Scallops

This is an amazing main course that one could serve for an elegant dinner party and not feel like they are blowing the calorie budget. This stir fry is very light and deliciously delicate and can be prepared in a matter of minutes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

·         16 scallops, roe removed and halved horizontally

·         1 thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and chopped finely

·         1 red chilli, deseeded and diced finely

·         2 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced finely

·         3 tbsp of chopped coriander

·         4 portions of rice noodles

·         Soy sauce

Method

1.       Prepare the scallops and set aside in the fridge until required.

2.       Put the noodles on to cook

3.       Heat a wok to high, with the chilli, ginger and garlic and stir fry for a minute or so.

4.       Add the scallops and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Then remove from the heat

5.       Drain the noodles and divide into bowls

6.       Pour the soy sauce over the scallops and top over each bowl of noodles.

7.       Scatter over some coriander and serve with some more soy sauce on the side if required.

This couldn’t be easier.

Slow Roasted Vietnamese Pork

A 'No Knife Required Roast'...

If you are not a big pork fan, this recipe should change your mind. I'm using a rolled joint of pork that Nugent Butchers in Cork prepared for me. They scored the fat and tied this pork up for me. I simply just created the marinade and banged it in the oven and forgot about it for 6 hours, which let me to get on with the rest of my day.

Serves 4-6 (depends on their greediness)

Ingredients

• 2 kg pork shoulder, rolled and scored
• 4 tbsp of fish sauce
• 2 lemon grass, bruised
• 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 2 red chilis, deseeded and finely sliced
•  thumb size ginger piece, peeled
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 tbsp of black peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 500g thin egg noodles
• Spring onions
• 3 large mushrooms, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced finely
• 4 chopped spring onions
• Soy sauce
• Freshly chopped mint, coriander, and basil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. Prepare the marinade: in a mini blender blitz the garlic, ginger, chili, peppercorns, sugar, and star anise 
3. Rub the marinade over the meat and get some inside the scored fat.
4. Rub sea salt into the meat.
5. Put the meat in a roasting tray and add the lemongrass in also.
6. Pour over the fish sauce and roast in the oven for 20 minutes
7. After 20 minutes, take the meat out of the oven and cool the oven down to 140 degrees.
8. Put double foil over the roasting tray and put the meat back in the oven for 5 hours.
9. After the 5 hours, turn the heat up to 200 again and take the foil off. This allows the crackling to cook perfectly.
10. Take out of the oven after being cooked for 20 minutes at 200 degrees. Allow to rest for 20 minutes at least.
11. Just before serving, cook the egg noodles and stir fry the mushrooms, carrots and other remaining chili.
12. Drain the cooked egg noodles, add to the stir fry and pour in some soy sauce and chopped herbs.
13. Divide the noodle stir fry in serving bowls.
14. To carve the meat, cut off the crackling with a knife and simply use a fork to separate the pork.  It's meltingly tender and a trip back for seconds cannot be avoided.
15. Top the noodles with the pulled pork, and top with some chopped herbs and spring onions, and some crackling.

Fastest Brown Bread EVER!!!!

This Pumpkin & Sunflower Seed Brown Bread will probably upset a lot of bakers out there, as it's made using just 3 ingredients, but I don't care because its just too easy and quick not to share. I'm using brown bread flour mix and water and seeds.................THATS IT!!!!!!!! Unbelievably quick I made it in two different ways. 

Firstly using milk and kneeding the dough and making a traditional round cake of bread. This was followed by my slightly less effort loaf using just flour and water. It's soooo easy I'll explain how I made both.

Ingredients (per loaf/cake)

• 1 lb of brown bread flour
• 1 pint of milk/water
• 3 tbsp of pumpkin & sunflower seeds

Method (Traditional round cake)

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. Put the flour in a mixing bowl and add the milk (you may not need all the milk, just add until you feel you have a pliable dough).
3. Add the seeds and mix through.
4. Dust a worktop with flour, and start kneeding your dough out on the work surface.
5. Shape into a round cake.
6. Dust a baking sheet with flour, and place the cake onto the tray.
7. Using a serrated knife, cut a deep cross in the cake.
8. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack, covered with a clean tea towel.

Method (Bread Loaf)

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. Put the flour in a mixing bowl and add the water and the seeds.
3. Spray a 1lb loaf tin with cooking stray.
4. Pour the dough in to the tin and bang on the worktop to ensure the dough sits evenly and this gets rid of air pockets.
5. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack, covered with a clean tea towel.

Low Fat Mediterrranean Fish Parcels

If you are looking for a low fat nuitrious mid week supper, that requires little effort, then look no further than this Mediterranean fish parcel. This foil parcel is filled with Mediterranean vegetables and a fillet of white fish topped with basil pesto, which give you a flavoursome light supper with no washing up afterwards.

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 fillet of haddock (or similar white fish)
• ¼ courgette, sliced
• ¼  red pepper, sliced
• ¼ yellow pepper, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• ¼ leek, chopped finely
• 1 garlic clove, sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp of basil pesto
• Lemon zest
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice
• 4-5 fresh basil leaves
• 1-2 spritz of low fat spray

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
2. Lay two large even pieces of tin foil on a baking tray.
3. Lay the vegetables and garlic in the centre along with half the basil leaves
4. Season well and lay the fish on top of the vegetables.
5. Spread the pesto over the fish and season the fish.
6. Pour over the lemon juice, zest, and spray the low fat spray.
7. Take up the opposite corners of the foil and meet in the centre, do the same with the remaining corners.
8. Pack the parcel tightly and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Duck with Red Wine, Orange and Thyme

Whether you are out to impress for a big dinner party, or you are cooking a romantic dinner for two, this recipe for pan seared duck breast and red wine sauce is a winner. It’s not a meal that’s kind to the waist line, so it’s definitely a special occasion meal. I got the recipe for the red wine and orange sauce from www.jameswhelanbutchers.com , and it is divine. The only thing I added to give it a twist of my own is thyme leaves. The recipe below for creamy mash potatoes is a doddle to make and this method really takes the stress out of boiling potatoes with the fear of over cooking.

Serves 2

Ingredients

·         2 Duck breasts, skin scored

·         1 bunch of fresh thyme

Potatoes

·         3 rooster potatoes

·         20g soft butter

·         10 mls of warmed milk

·         White pepper and salt

Red Wine & Orange Sauce

·         2 shallots

·         200ml good red wine

·         Zest and juice of some seasonal satsumas (oranges if you don’t have them)

·         1 tsp redcurrant jelly

·         1 tsp cornflour mixed with tbsp of water

Method

1.       Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2.       Place the potatoes on roasting tray and bake in oven for 1 hour

3.       After the hour, half the potatoes and scoop out the fluffy inside into a bowl.

4.       Add the salt, pepper, butter and milk and mash until creamy.

5.       Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cover the bowl with foil to keep warm. And thats your potatoes done.

6.       For the duck, place a pan on high heat and place the duck skin side down. Lots of fat will render out. Place the duck on a warm plate and remove all but 1 tbsp of fat and return to the heat.

7.       Fry the shallots in the fat for 5 minutes.

8.       Add the wine, satsuma zest and juice, and thyme leaves, bring to the boil and replace the duck breast, skin side up in the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes.

9.       Remove the duck and thyme from the pan and keep warm.

10.   Add the redcurrant jelly and cornflour mixture to the sauce and stir well, and allow to reduce a little.

11.   To plate up, using a spatula to create a little air in the potato mixture, fold the potatoes a few times and then add to the centre of your plate.

12.   Slice the duck thinly and place on top of the potatoes and pour over the sauce around the edges of the plate.

13.   It’s really quiet an easy meal to prepare but it very visually impressive.

Harissa Spiked Vegetables with Quinoa, Feta & Almonds

Harrisa is a hot smoky red pepper paste used in North African cooking to flavour meat and stews. Here I’m using it as a marinade diluted with lemon juice to give a wonderfully smoky heat to roast vegetables. This is a low fat supper which keeps well for lunch the next day also. However this a great marinade on meat and poultry as it really tenderises the meat , keeping it moist and succulent.

Serves 2

Ingredients

·         2 small sweet potatoes, diced

·         100g quinoa

·         1 red pepper, cut into chunks

·         1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks

·         2 red onions, peeled and quartered

·         8 mushrooms, halved

·         4 tomatoes, deseeded and quartered

·         1 lemon juice

·         2 tsp of harrisa paste

·         3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

·         60g of low fat feta cheese, cubed

·         2 tbsp of toasted flaked almonds

Method

1.       Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2.       In a jug, mix the lemon juice and harrisa paste

3.       Add the chopped vegetables to an oven dish, spreading them out in one even layer

4.       Pour over the marinade and mix to ensure each and every piece of vegetable is cooked

5.       Roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway.

6.       Meanwhile, cook 100g of quinoa according to packet, drain and allow to steam dry.

7.       Add the quinoa, feta, almonds and coriander to the roasting dish to combine all the flavours and serve.

Paprika Roast Chicken

Here’s a twist on a classic roast chicken recipe, the slow roast and intense flavours give a wonderfully moist chicken, if you follow this method you won’t be disappointed with the chicken.

Serves 4

Ingredients

·         1 large free range chicken

·         2 tsp of smoked paprika

·         Juice of 1 lemon

·         1 grated garlic clove

·         Salt & pepper

·         3 tbsp of honey

·         Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme

Method

1.       Preheat oven to 160 degrees

2.       In a jug, combine all the ingredients except the chicken and mix well

3.       Put the chicken in a oven dish and pour over the marinade and rub in all over.

4.       Gently lift the skin from the breast meat and rub some marinade under the skin

5.       Roast undisturbed, covered in foil for 1 hour.

6.       After 1 hour, turn the chicken up side down and roast for another 45 minutes, covered in foil.

7.       Once that time has lapsed, turn the chicken again and roast for a final 30 minutes uncovered. (if the skin starts to burn cover in the foil.

8.       Allow the bird to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Serve as you wish

My Childhood Irish Shepherd’s Pie

Me and my brother and sister grew up on Shepherd’s Pie, with either my mom or my dad making it for us at least once a week. In recessionary times in the 80s in Ireland we were always having dinners that stretched  that little bit more, embracing leftovers, and having a dish that would keep if my dad came in from work late. Growing up in my house in the 80s,rice and pasta were never heard of, even pizza was exotic to us. Or dinners were always meat, potatoes, and two veg, like all my other friends homes at the time. Coming from a town in Co. Kerry, rice and pasta came later to us than Dublin City and Cork City. We were a real typical Irish family of the time, very traditional.

With all that said, that is not to say we didn’t eat well!!! To the contrary, my mom’s shepherd’s pie is delicious and so tasty,  I’ve failed to taste another as good. And my dad’s Irish stews with lamb cutlets, or the Irish fry up we used to have every Saturday with chips......these are all fond memorable family meals and I still try to re-create them today.

I’ve tried to put a fancy shmacy spin on some of my childhood classics, but for me I thought it was taking away the most important component of the meal. I make these dinner to evoke these wonderful memories of my family table back in the 80s when I was growing up with my brother and sister. Granted half the time I was arguing at the table with either my brother or sister, but I think of those times with a smile, delighted that not much has changed in our house when we go home to visit, though now there’s more of a variety of things to cook and there’s plenty of wine. The only arguing is over who gets to do the cooking (everyone wants to show off their dishes). It’s family times like these that are so important these days, especially as we hit recessionary again. We must be thankful for our families and the time we get to spend together.

Now on with the Shepherd’s Pie.....I’d mortify myself by saying that I’d always been of the opinion that shepherd’s pie was made with minced meat and potato on top cooked in the oven. So for years previously I’d been cooking it with mince beef/steak. It was to my horror that I learned Shepherd’s Pie is only made with LAMB mince. It was like a light bulb going off. I Mean come on, duh!!, the clue is in the name, like!!! What I’d been making for years was in fact Cottage Pie. Morto!!

So today I’m here to set the record straight and, and go back to my roots and questioned my mother on how she used to make it back in the olden days,  and here’s her recipe:

Serves 4

Ingredients

·         1 lb lamb mince

·         1 onion, diced

·         10 mushrooms, sliced

·         3 carrots, parboiled

·         6 large potatoes, peeled and diced

·         200ml of beef stock cube

·         5 splashes of Worchester sauce

·         1 tbsp of tomato puree

·         1 tbsp of tomato ketchup

·         20g of real irish butter

·         3 tbsp of warmed milk

·         Salt and white pepper

To serve: has to be baked beans and Chef brown sauce

Method

1.       Put a pan of potatoes in cold salted water and boil until soft

2.       Put the peeled, diced carrots in another pan and boil for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.

3.       In a frying pan, fry off the mince then add the diced onion and fry for 3 minutes

4.       Add the tomato puree, ketchup and some stock into the pan and simmer.

5.       Add the mushrooms and carrots and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, adding more stock if necessary.

6.       Preheat oven to 220 degrees.

7.       To get amazing mash potatoes, warm some milk. Drain the potatoes and allow them to stem for a minute or so.

8.       Break the potatoes up with a knife, add the butter, salt and pepper and mash well with a potato masher.

9.       When mashed, add the milk, little at a time (you can always add more, but never take it back).

10.   Set aside and keep warm.

11.   Add frozen peas to the mince mixture and let them thaw for a minute or so.

12.   Add the mince evenly to an ovenproof dish.

13.   Spoon over the mash and if you like make some gashes in the potato for decoration.

14.   Add a further few knobs of butter over the pie to get a golden crust and bake for 20 minutes in the oven.

Everyone has they’re own way of eating shepherds pie, for me only baked beans and brown sauce will do.