SPRING - april 2016
FEAST MEAL A DINNER JOURNAL
Delicious spring celebrations
- HEDGEROW COCK TA IL AT DA M SON DINER - BALLY VOL A NE GR AVAD L A X W I T H CUCUMBER PICK LE A ND DILL MUSTARD M AYONNA ISE - BR A ISED CONNE M AR A HILL L A MB SHA NK S W I T H GER M INAT E A ND W ILD G ARL IC M A SH
WELCOME
A FEAST OF SPRING, 2016 Welcome to the spring issue of FEAST. A delicious celebration of this spring’s seasonal produce and a show-case of some of Ireland’s finest food producers. The opening features in this dinner journal take us on a journey across Ireland through our FEAST spring menu. Each ingredient feature brings you closer to a dramatic spring meal in the Glade, a stunning old church surrounded by forest in Kinnegad, Co. Kildare. On our way to the great FEAST we travelled to the wild and rolling hills of Connemara for spring lamb for our main course of braised lamb shanks. This was extra special as the lamb is not just unique to Ireland but unique to the Connemara Hills. In the lush countryside surrounding Ballyvolane House in Co. Cork we found cool rivers teeming with fish and were inspired to create our
gravadlax starter. In a converted railway station in Carnaross, Co. Meath we explored Sheridans Cheesemongers’ headquarters where mountains of cheese act as taste-snapshots of Ireland’s many terroir. It’s hard not to be inspired by the raw and beautiful scenery which produces so much of Ireland’s finest food. But townies in Ireland are not without their foodie credentials. New voices in food like Oisin Davis of Dublin’s Damson Diner gave us a foraged cocktail masterclass showing us how to make a hedgerow cocktail with elderberry gin, all his foraging takes place in urban Dublin. From the romance of an island bakery off the west Cork coast Patrick Ryan’s Heir Island Firehouse Bakery shared his recipe with us. Over in Drogheda Jeni
Glasgow shares the much lusted after secrets of her wild and wonderful Brown Hound Bakery, with the recipe for her sweet torched lemon temples making a dramatic end to our FEAST. The importance of every element of our FEAST is highlighted by a visit to Rosemarie Durr’s pottery studio in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny who kindly allowed us to use her beautiful hand crafted bowls for our wild garlic soup. A morning spent with Mark Grehan in his beautiful Dublin city flower shop located on the steps of the Powerscourt Town House ensured we had unique floral displays on our table setting. Turn the pages and follow our spring 2013 journey through Ireland as we gathered the ingredients for a Spring FEAST. Enjoy, Donal
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CONTENTS
4. Contents
20. Connemara hill lamb
5. Contributors
22. Braised connemara hill lamb shanks with gremolata and wild garlic mash
6. Must haves 7. Get your fresh fish at the market 8. Firehouse bakery 10. Rosemary and olive oil sourdough
24.. Sheridan cheese 26. Final feast 28. More must haves 29. Sneak peek
12. Damson diner 13. Cocktails 14. Rosemarie durr pottery 15. Wild garlic soup with a poached egg and irish cheese toasts 16. Ballyvolane House 18. Ballyvolane gravadlax with cucumber pickle and dill mustard mayonnaise
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FEAST a dinner journal
DESIGN © 2015-2016 Bren Truijens TEXT COPYRIGHT © 2013 Ross Golden-Bannon Donal Skehan PHOTOGRAPHY COPYRIGHT © 2013 Donal Skehan Cover copyright © 2013 Ross Golden-Bannon & Donal Skehan All rights reserved. Published by Donal Skehan trading as Donal Skehan & RGB Consulting.
CONTRIBUTORS Ross Golden-Bannon Editor Ross has been eating for Ireland as restaurant critic for The Sunday Business Post since 2001 and he’s been the editor of FOOD&WINE Magazine since 2008. He was elected to membership of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild in 2006. As the author of the ebook How to Write About Food he’s happiest when he’s a good meal in front of him along with some fresh copy and a big red pen.
Donal Skehan Photographer Donal is a food writer and photographer with three cookbooks under his belt and presents TV show, Kitchen Hero, on RTÉ One in Ireland. Donal shot all the features for FEAST and enjoyed every minute. FEAST was a dream he has had since he first started writing about food and his guiding principle was to celebrate the stories of the people behind the food.
Sharon Hearne Smith Food Stylist Sharon’s job has taken her around the world working with names like Ina Garten, Lorraine Pascale and Jamie Oliver. We’re head over heels in love with her styling and she made the soup on our cover look as good as it tastes. Alongside her fabulous assistants Emma Nelson and Julie Ann Miller she cooked through our FEAST recipes making each and every one look particularly special.
Sofie Larsson Prop stylist Sofie, originally from Sweden now works with Donal Skehan on his TV series and cook books and has the rather exciting job of collecting beautiful things from far and wide to feature in his food photography. Sofie’s extra touches made the table setting for our final FEAST something truly special with vintage plates and napkins all the way from Sweden.
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YOLK F ISH EGG SEPAR ATOR - $14
CE Y LON ICE T E A JUG BY BODUM - $ 40
The Yolkfish sucks at its job… And that’s a good thing.
This 101-ounce iced-tea maker and pitcher is great for loose-leaf or bagged teas. The removable filter allows you to brew your tea exaxtly how you like it. Also great for infusing other beverages with citrus or herbal flavors. Made of durable plastic.
Yolkfish is 4 x 9.5 x 6 cm, made from durable food-safe silicone. Sucky.
SUNN YSIDE EGG MOLD - $15
WAT ER MELON K NIF E K UHN R IKON - $26
Shine some light onto your breakfast table with this silicon egg shaper that will make your plate a work of art.
Cut into the juicy flavors of melons with the Kuhn Rikon Nonstick Melon Knife Colori. Fun and functional, it’s unmistakably designed for use with melons, with its green handle and long red blade decorated with a whimsical seed cut-out design.
13.8x11x2.4 cm/ 5.43X4.33X0.945 in.
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GET YOUR FISH FRESH AT THE MARKET Welcome to Marseille marketplace. Home of bouillabaisse, striped breton shirt and one of the most involved fish markets you’ll ever come across. How so? Seafood, and a life tied to the sea in this area is king. As is quality. Three hundred days of sun, France’s second largest city and the home of the breton and bouillabaisse… Welcome to Marseille, a true nautical city. Where it’s none more apparent than at their morning fish market – one of the most interesting and eclectic ones you’ll ever come across. Because in this region, seafood and a life tied to the sea is king. It’s crucial. And for some, very much their raison d’être. For strong salty links flow through every element of this walled ancient city – with the fish market being the finest example of the locals’ organic and unwavering link to
the surrounding waters. For it’s a presence and a preference well played and occupied in life.
Pepper Passport PEPPER PA SSP ORT
Pepper Passport delivers and shares stories that showcase ‘the Fishermen, fresh from their post good’ found in food and travel. midnight and pre dawn starts on the Mediterranean return to port. We’re a destination for the avid cook, discerning & curious travelThey pull up at the base of this ancient harbour and begin upload- er, lover & sharer of good things, both at home & while away. ing their morning haul – notably Australian based, but globally while the rest of the city begins focused, our office dream about to stir. where we’ll eat and what we’ll Seafood bounty of every type, consume long before that mealsize, and for every use abounds. time arrives. We love to know It’s lain out in a ‘pop up’ style more and strive to be a source along the front, and regular cusof information and inspiration for tomers come to view and select those who share an interest in what they’ll be taking home for exploring, eating and other assothe day. Time is taken over the transaction – and there’s no rush, ciated delights. with vendors ensuring their clients take home of their catch is of Take a look at: Twitter - Facebook unsurpassed quality. It’s hard to Pinterest - Flickr or get fresher than at the market. www.pepperpassport.com
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FIREHOUSE BAKERY BREAD H EI R I SLAN D CO. CO RK SET LIKE A TINY JEWEL IN THE MANY GEM-LIKE ISLANDS OF ROARINGWATER BAY, HEIR ISLAND HAS A TRANQUILITY AND PEACEFULNESS TO MATCH THE EASY-GOING FOLK ON THE ISLAND. FIREHOUSE BAKERY
An obsession with detail has got a bit of a bad rap in recent years, yet it is the deep knowledge of the details of a craft which ensure the very best quality. That’s what you’ll find at the Firehouse Bakery on Heir Island where Patrick Ryan and partner Laura Moore have created a bakery school of unparalleled excellence. Patrick is the star of BBC2’s the Big Bread Experiment, which charted a social experiment in reuniting a community through bread. He is also the co author of Bread Revolution. He wrote this book with Duncan Glendinning who hails from Bath, where 8
HEIR ISLAND CASTS ITS SPELL ON ALL WHO VISIT AND ALL THAT’S MADE THERE, THERE’S SURELY ALCHEMY IN THE BREAD THAT’S MADE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
Patrick spent four years as head baker at Duncan’s Thoughtful Bread Company, an award wining artisan bakery. The Firehouse Bakery is located on a picturesque island off the West Cork coast. A ferry takes you across the sea to their world of baking, where all aspects of their craft are taught from bread and scones to sour dough. Once you’ve finished pummelling and proving, the baking is done in the wood burning clay oven, the only oven they use. Time spent at the school is an opportunity not just to learn bread making but to gain a life skill that was previously such an important part of daily Irish life. The
which already stretch into the summer. The pair have also just launched a bakery in Delgany, Co. Wicklow, which is now up and running. In an age of mass bread production this thriving artisan business is a lesson in the fine art of integrity and quality. They’ve shared with us their rosemary and olive oil sourdough bread as well as a bit of a masterclass in giving life to your very own sourdough starter. Bread revolution, here we come
- Patrick’s wood fired oven is located at the back of the Firehouse Bakery and he bakes his bread there rain or shine. Patrick’s infectious passion for bread is clear and he takes time to explain in detail every step of bread making from the dough to the baking process.
work at Firehouse Bakery acts as an ark of ancient skills where hands are still intimately involved in the bread making process. Machines that make soulless bread have no place at Firehouse Bakery where the human touch has been woven back into this most ancient of foods. Alongside Patrick you’ll find his ever supportive partner Laura Moore. They have quickly developed a highly successful business, and are kept busy with bookings
- Heir Island is located South West of County Cork and boasts over 200 species of wildflower, making it a unique and dramatic setting for the Firehouse Bakery. The island, home now to only thirty people can be accessed by a short ferry trip departing from Cunnamore Pier. It was once inhabited by over 400 people evidenced by the ruins of a schoolmaster’s house on the main road through the island.
FIREHOUSE BAKERY HEIR ISLAND SKIBBEREEN CO. CORK IRELAND
- Patrick and his partner Laura run the bakery together on Heir island
TEL: +353 85 1561984 WWW.THEFIREHOUSE.IE 9
ROSE M ARY A ND OL I V E OIL SOU RD OUGH • 500g strong unbleached white bread flour • 300g sourdough starter • 210 ml water • 75 ml olive oil • 1/2 bulb of roasted garlic • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary • 10 g salt 1. Mix together the flour, starter and water in a bowl. Add the salt and olive oil along with the roasted garlic and roughly chopped rosemary. 2. Turn out on to a clean kitchen surface and knead for 10 minutes. 3. Put into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let it prove for 2,5 hours to 3 hours. You won’t notice anywhere near as much of a rise in the dough as you would with a normal, yeasted bread and it will take a lot longer. 4. Turn out the dough on to a clean kitchen surface and knock back. 10
5. Portion the dough into two and shape into two rugby ball shaped loaves. Flour generously, and place each loaf seam side up in a bowl, lined with a couche cloth, a heavily floured tea towel will work fine. 6. Without the cloth, your loaf will stick in the bowl and you won’t be able to turn it out. Leave to prove for a further 2,5 hours. 7. Pre-heat the oven to 230°C / Gas 7 and place a baking stone on the middle shelf. Turn the loaves out on to a baking tray or hot baking stone. Score with a sharp blade and place in the oven. Throw a handful of ice cubes into the bottom of the oven to create steam in the oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a good crust has formed and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the base.
L E T T H ER E B E S O U R D O U G H G I V I N G L I F E TO YO U R V ERY O W N S O U R D O U G H S TA R T ER T H E US E O F N AT U R A L YO G H U R T G I V E S YO U R S TA R T ER A H EL PI N G H A N D BY I N T R O D U C I N G A L I T T L E F R I EN D LY B AC T ER I A .
DAY 1
DAY 2
75 ml natural yoghurt 150ml skimmed milk Heat the milk gently, place the yoghurt into a bowl and stir in the milk. Cover and leave in a warm place for 12-24 hours until thickened. Stir in any liquids that may have separated.
120g white flour Stir the flour into the yoghurt, incorporating evenly. Cover and leave in a warm place for 2 days. The mixture should be full of bubbles and smell pleasantly sour. aaa
DAY 5
DAY 6
150 ml water 150 g white flour Add the flour to the starter, and mix in the water. Cover and leave in a warm place for 12 – 24 hours.
The starter should be quiet active now and be full of little bubbles. If by the end of Day 6 your starter is not as active as hoped, do not worry simply repeat the feeding process of Day 5.
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DAMSON DINER CO CK TAI L SO U TH WI LLI AM STREET D UBLI N 2 DUBLIN CITY IS FILLED WITH PASSIONATE FOODIES WHO ALSO KNOW AN ARTISAN COCKTAIL WHEN THEY SEE ONE – FORAGED FRUIT DRINKS ARE THE LATEST CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS IRISH. DAMSON DINER Hipster New Yorkers probably come to Damson Diner for inspiration. Located on South William Street in Dublin 2, the space is a modern style American diner with neon lights, exposed pipes and high ceilings. They’ve the low-down on what’s happening in the food world too. Run by Oisin Davis, formerly of The Sugar Club, and the guys behind Coppinger Row the diner serves up dishes like Vietnamese bánh mi, a sort of light baguette along with other Thai street food favourites. You’ll also find Louisiana crowd pleasers like po’ boys and Indian inspired nibbles like courgettes and fennel bhaji. We love the food but 12
we’re in love with the cocktails. Damson have their cocktail shakers right on the ancient and modern zietgeist by celebrating old infusion traditions. Foraged wild foods like sloes and elderflowers are combined with gin, vodka and whiskey helping to revive old glories like elderflower gin but creating exciting new mixes too. These are then combined into the latest cocktails, one of which they’ve kindly shared with us for our feast Garnish with a preserved baby apple or slices of apple dipped in lemon. The Damson Diner’s gin was infused for 5 months with wild Irish elderberries, though we have a 2 month version below.
er into the glass. Garnish with a preserved baby apple or slices of apple dipped in lemon. The Damson Diner’s gin was infused for 5 months with wild Irish elderberries, though we have a 2 month version below. E LDE RBE RRY G I N • 500g elderberries, ripe • 100g sugar • 700ml Cork Dry Gin Gin
HED GEROW COCK TA IL - With tables right on Dublin’s popular South William Street diners can soak up the atmosphere of this busy area - Quirky and modern interiors with exposed pipes and filament light bulbs set the tone for this fresh diner
- Pickled baby apples make an interesting garnish for Oisin’s hedgerow cocktail.
52 SOUTH WILLIAM ST, DUBLIN 2; TEL: + 353 1 677 7007.
• 70ml elderberry Infused Cork Dry Gin • 50ml Crinnaughtan Apple Juice • 20ml Green Tea Syrup • a dash of lemon juice
Chill a tumbler with ice and water and set aside. Place all ingredients in the shaker with ice, shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Empty your tumbler and strain the shak-
When gathering the elderberries make sure to just pick the ripe ones. Be a responsible forager too, always leave plenty behind for the birds. To prepare the berries use a fork to strip them from the stalks. Pick through removing any unripe berries and stalks. Put the berries in a microwave proof bowl and pop in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir half way through. The berries are ready for the next stage when they have started to split and juice is coming out. They should be hot but not collapsing into a mash. A more traditional method is to piece each berry with a darning needle instead of heating in the microwave. Once the berries are ready place in a sterilised jar, add the sugar and finally the gin. Seal tightly and shake vigorously. Shake two or three times a day for for 2-3 days ensuring all the sugar has dissolved. Store in a dark press or shed for one month. Strain the berry and gin mix through a fine muslin. Taste for sweetness and add sugar if necessary. 13
ROSEMARIE DURR POTTERY SO U P CASTLE CO M ER CO. K I LK EN N Y HAND CRAFTED MEANS EACH ITEM IS UNIQUE UNTO ITSELF. ESCHEWING THE MASS-PRODUCED AND THE MECHANICAL GIVES OBJECTS AND FOODS A POETRY WHICH THE MACHINE CAN NEVER DELIVER. ROSEMARIE DURR POTTERY
Irish craftsmanship has become famous the world over with names like Nicholas Mosse, Steven Pierce and even Orla Kiely setting the bench mark. There is a wealth of handcrafted ceramics to be found throughout Ireland and when it cames to choosing some bowls for our wild garlic soup, Rosemarie Durr’s striking free form colourful pottery was an obvious choice. The distinctive powder blue glazed ceramics are hand thrown in her studio and shop at the Castlecomer design yard. A graduate of the esteemed Craft Council of Ireland’s pottery course, Rosemarie has worked in some of 14
Ireland’s leading pottery studios. In 2006, alongside her husband and designer Andrew Ludwick, she set up the Rosemarie Durr Pottery shop. Her range includes scalloped bowls, cups and saucers, plates and tea pots, all are made on site and delightfully displayed in her studio. What we love about them is that although they are exceptional pieces of art, they are also functional everyday kitchen items which are comforting to hold and eat from. The contrast from her eyecatching blue bowl was perfect for the seasonal wild garlic soup, drizzled with a zingy wild garlic oil, flowers, Durrus cheese toasts and poached egg.
W ILD G ARL IC SOU P W I T H A P OACHED EGG A ND IR ISH CHEE SE TOA STS - FOR T HE SOUP
ROSEMARIE DURR POTTERY, CASTLECOMER ESTATE YARD,
FOR T HE W ILD G ARL IC OIL • 500ml rapeseed oil • 75g wild garlic
CASTLECOMER, • 25g butter • 2 medium potatoes cut into 1cm cubes • 1 medium onion, chopped roughly • 1 litre vegetable stock • 200g wild garlic leaves, chopped • 8 large free range eggs • Wild garlic flowers, to garnish Poach the eggs first and then set aside, semi-cooked until ready to serve. Melt the butter in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and potatoes and fry gently for 2-3 minutes. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Lower the heat, cover with a lid and continue to cook for 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. You can check this by piercing them with a fork. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the
CO. KILKENNY, IRELAND. TEL: +353 (0)56 4440007.
In a food processor, blitz the wild garlic and 6 tablespoons of the oil until completely smooth. You may need to add a little oil to loosen the mix. Transfer to a bottle and top with the remaining rapeseed oil.
WWW.ROSEDURR.COM
boil over a high heat. Add the wild garlic leaves and stir through. Cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted and tender. Blitz the soup with a hand blender and season to taste. Pass through a sieve for a silky smooth finish. Place the poached eggs in warm water to revive.
FOR T HE TOA ST • 8 slices of sourdough bread • 150g of Durrus cheese, grated • Serves 8 Toast the slices of sourdough bread under a hot grill and then add a little cheese to each one and place under the heat until melted. Serve the soup in deep bowls with a poached egg and a cheese toast. Drizzle with wild garlic oil. 15
BALLYVOLANE HOUSE STARTER CASTLELYO N S F ERM O Y, CO. CO RK FISHING IN THE COOL CLEAR WATERS OF THE BLACKWATER RIVER. THE WELCOMING DOOR OF BALLYVOLANE HOUSE WHERE YOU’LL FIND A SANCTUARY UNDERPINNED BY INTEGRITY. BALLYVOLANE HOUSE
The first view of Ballyvolane House by the weary traveller is a wel-come one, framed as it is by shimmering trees, green lawns and languishing mauve wisteria. It is a grand house, a Georgian county retreat, but not overwhelming and the simple façade feels homely and welcoming. No surprise really considering the welcome you’ll get from Justin and Jenny Green, this unique and peaceful spot is their place of work and their home so there’s a great family run atmosphere here. Guests all sit around the family dinner table for breakfast and dinner. Attention to detail is everything 16
from the deep, cloudlike beds to the impeccably sourced food, it is a place set apart. Evenings start with rhubarb martinis from the Victorian walled garden, though this obviously changes with the seasons, their hedgerow martini of autumn fruits is something of a legend. They keep rare breed pigs including Saddlebacks, Gloucester Old Spots and Durocs all of which appear on the menu in some form, breakfast being the natural starting point. A meander around the estate is a chance to see a country house which is truly embedded in the locality. Justin proudly shows off their chickens, doves, donkey’s
- Freshly shaken rhubarb martinis made with rhubarb from the walled garden
and a motley pack of dogs which add a huge amount of personality to the setting. Guests can choose to go fishing in the local river for salmon and trout, and then see the fish appear on their dinner menu. Justin’s father Jeremy grows a huge amount of vegetables throughout the year in Ballyvolane’s vast walled garden. Guests are lucky enough to see these appear on the menu which often includes more exotic vegetables
like sea kale, asparagus and globe artichokes. Salad leaves of all hues and textures are grown along with chard, spinach, courgettes, all sorts of cabbages, curly kale, beetroot, Jerusalem artichokes and four varieties of potatoes. And that’s just the short list. Fruit such as loganberries, figs, pears, apples and raspberries are served up in season and the green house is used for growing cucumbers, chilies and tomatoes too. The menus change daily and are dictated by what is ready to harvest, what’s seasonal and of course the weather and fishing conditions also dictate what will appear on your plate. Inspired by our fishing trip to Ballyvolane House we’ve come up with a favourite salmon dish for our feast.
- A uniquely warm family atmosphere can be felt throughout Ballyvolane.The impressive grounds boast a mixture of mature deciduous trees, formal, semi-formal, walled and woodland gardens, making them the ideal home to a wide variety of wildlife.
BALLYVOLANE HOUSE, CASTLELYONS, FERMOY,
- Beautifully kept antiques and family heirloomes in the drawing room of Ballyvolane House
CO. CORK. TEL + 353 (025) 36 349. 17
BALLY VOL A NE GR AVAD L A X W I T H CUCUMBER PICK LE A ND DILL MUSTARD M AYONNA ISE GR AVAD L A X • 2 sides of salmon, with the skin on, • approximately 900g each • 2 tablespoons Atlantic Sea Salt • 2 tablespoons sugar • 2 tablespoons ground black pepper • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill • (Note you will need to start this dish • 5 days in advance) Mix the salt, sugar, pepper and dill together. Lay out one side of salmon on clingfilm and spread on the mixture ensuring it is evenly coated. Cover this prepared side with the other side of salmon. Wrap all the salmon well in the clingfilm and refrigerate. Turn this every day for 4 days. It will be ready on day 5. 18
CUCUMBER PICK LE
MUSTARD M AYONNA ISE
• • • • •
• 1 large egg yolk • 2 tablespoons of French mustard • 1 tablespoon of white sugar • 1/2 pint of sunflower oil • 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar • 1 tablespoon of dill • salt and pepper
1 cucumber 4 tablespoons rice vinegar 4 tablespoons caster sugar 1 tablespoon salt 1 small red chilli, chopped very finely • 1 small shallot, very thinly sliced • 3 tablespoons hot water
Cut the cucumber in half lengthways. Slice very thinly, preferably with the thinnest setting of a mandolin, if you have one. In a bowl mix together the sugar, salt, vinegar and hot water until combined and then add the cu-cumber, shallot and red chilli. Transfer to individual serving jars and place in the fridge overnight before serving.
Whisk the yolk, mustard and sugar in a bowl, slowly until combined. Add the oil drop by drop until the mixture has emulsified, then add the vinegar and dill. Season with salt and pepper
- The Blackwater River flows from Kerry to the sea at Youghal stretching a mighty 150km from it’s source. The salmon season runs from the start of February up until the end of September.
TO SERV E Remove the salmon from the fridge just before you are ready to serve and slice very thinly. Serve slices with the cucumber pickle jars, a dollop of dill mustard mayonnaise and some lightly dressed salad leaves. Serves 8-10
- Gravadlax makes an easy starter which is prepared in advance and served with dressed leaves, cucumber pickle and a dill mayonnaise.
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CONNEMARA HILL LAMB CO RR N A M O N A CO N N EMARA CO. GALWAY CONNEMARA HILL LAMB MATURES AT A SLOWER RATE THAN COMMERCIAL BREEDS AND IT FEEDS ON THE CONNEMARA HEATHERS, HERBS AND GRASSES OF IRELAND HERSELF. CONNEMARA HILL LAMB If ever the essence of terroir was expressed in an Irish product it is Connemara Hill Lamb. We visited Martin Joe Kerrigan’s lamb farm at the edge of Lough Corrib and in the heart of the Connemara Ghaeltacht region. He is part of a group of farmers who have gathered together to promote and protect the lamb which is indigenous to the Connemara region. The Connemara Blackfaced Horned Ewe dates back to the 1800’s. The grand sweep of herbage, heathers and grasses on the Connemara Hills are its feed which gives the lamb a natural, succulent flavour with a very pronounced aroma. The carcass is lean and the 20
ANCHOVIES AND GREMOLATA ARE A NATURAL MATCH WITH LAMB, THE FIRST ADDING RICHNESS THE SECOND CUTTING THROUGH THE SWEET TASTING MEAT AND FAT. meat is rose red in colour with a solid deep, texture and a light covering of fat. Like other heritage livestock it matures at a slower rate gaining the benefits of their natural habitat in the taste. The result is a lamb of specialised quality which is an expression of the heathers, herbs and grasses of Connemara, almost symbols of Ireland in themselves. When Martin Joe was growing up, the lower lands were saved for the dairy cows but now the lamb have become his main source of income. Modernity is only allowed to peek in where it doesn’t interfere with the traditions of the region. Martin Joe used to walk the land but he now uses a quad bike,
- The winding road up the hills where the sheep graze.
though the fences which divide the lands are all maintained by hand. While we were up the mountain shooting, ten lambs were born and we watched them up and walking within a few hours. The lamb has won a number of important awards including one from the Guild of Irish Food Writers. Most importantly has been their designation of EU wide recognition through Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, a little like an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC), on French wines and food. There are at present only three others in Ireland. Without the dedication and passion of these farmers this breed would no longer exist and our feast would be sadly lacking in the taste of Connemara Hill Lamb.
- The rolling view down to Lough Corrib from the hills above Martin Joe Kerrigan’s farmhouse
CORR NA MONA, CONNEMARA,
- Martin Joe stands proudly with a newly born lamb
CO. GALWAY, TEL +353 9495 48798; WWW.CONNEMARAHILLLAMB. 21
BR A ISED CONNE M AR A HILL L A MB SHA NK S W I T H GRE MOL ATA A ND W ILD G ARL IC M A SH HILL L A MB SHA NK S • 8 Connemara Hill Lamb shanks, about 475g each • 50g plain flour • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil • 2 onions, finely chopped • 2 sticks celery, finely chopped • 2 carrots, finely chopped • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • 375ml dry white wine • 750ml chicken stock • 50g can anchovies, drained • 1 lemon, the zest peeled into strips • 1 tablespoon tomato puree • flat leaf parsley leaves, a small handful • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped rosemary • 2 bay leaves
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Place a really large casserole pan on a high heat. Season the lamb shanks and toss them in the flour to coat. Add the oil to the pan and working in batches, sear the lamb shanks all over until golden brown, transferring them to a large plate as you go. Next, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, celery and carrots to the pan. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until soft but not coloured, adding the garlic at the last minute. Increase the heat and then add the wine, allowing it to bubble down for a minute or two. Then add the stock, anchovies, lemon zest, tomato puree, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves and season well. Return the lamb shanks to the pan and cover with a tight fitting lid. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a very gentle simmer for about 3 hours. Turn the shanks occasionally during this time.
GRE MOL ATA • 4 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped • 2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped • 2 tablespoons lemon zest, finely grated Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata. Simply toss the mint, garlic and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving
W ILD G ARL IC M A SH • 1.2 kg floury potatoes, peeled and halved • or quartered if large • 75g butter • 100ml whole milk • 50 wild garlic leaves, washed well and • roughly chopped • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
TO SERV E Half an hour before serving, prepare the mash. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Warm the milk and butter in a small pan until just coming to the boil and remove. Drain the potatoes well and mash until smooth with the milk and butter mixture. Stir the wild garlic through to wilt and season to taste. Cover and keep warm.
Once cooked the meat from the lamb shanks should be really tender and just falling off the bone. Carefully remove the lamb shanks to a large plate and keep warm covered in foil. Discard the bay leaves from the sauce and then blend the sauce using a stick blender until almost smooth. Check seasoning and return the lamb shanks to the sauce. To serve, spoon a large dollop of creamy mash into the centre of each
serving bowl or plate. Sit a lamb shank proudly on top, spoon the sauce over and scatter generously with gremolata.
Anchovies and gremolata are a natural match with lamb, the first adding richness the second cutting through the sweet tasting meat and fat.
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SHERIDAN CHEESE CH EESE CARN ARO SS CO. M EATH THE SHERIDAN BROTHERS’ PRINCIPLES OF BEING GENTLE WITH THE EARTH ARE WRIT LARGE IN THE RECYCLING OF THE OLD VIRGINIA RAILWAY STATION INTO THE HEAD QUARTERS FOR THE CHEESEMONGER. SHERIDANS
The idea that there’s a central storage point for Sheridans Cheesemongers seems like something of a foodie fairytale, like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Yet in the depths of lush County Meath you’ll find their headquarters in an old converted railway station brimming with every imaginable cheese. From enormous cheese wheels, as big as tyres, to tiny single portions it is a cheese lovers dream come true. The cheesemongers was established by brothers Seamus and Kevin Sheridan in 1995. They started small, with a stall at the market in Galway City, but from these small beginnings 24
the business grew and has now become a byword for quality cheeses in Ireland. They have shops in Dublin, Galway City and Ardkeen in Waterford, you’ll also find them at many market stalls and in some Ireland’s finer retailers. The Carnacross headquarters also houses a shop run by Frenchman Franck Le Moenner. The stock is made up of a personally selected range of artisan ingredients from Ireland and further afield as well as a full selection of cheeses. There’s also a cosy little cafe where they serve a stonking good coffee and tasty nibbles from the small deli.
CHEE SE Y NOT E S
ST TOL A A SH
GOAT ’S CHEE SE
The first rule of a good cheese board is to offer some contrasts of textures and flavours: a soft cheese, a hard cheese and maybe a blue one in between the two. The second rule is not to get too caught up in the rules, pick a selection that you love or even just showcase a single cheese. We’ve included some lesser known cheeses along with the more famous ones and in our case we decided to stick to goats’ cheese and take a flight through its flavours. By choosing just goats’ cheese we got to compare the glory of goats’ milk in its many different guises and see how it changes from terroir to terroir and method to method.
St. Tola Ash was created by Meg and Derrick Gordon in that most unique of places, the Burren. Starting in 1978 their cheeses grew and grew in popularity and some twenty years later their neighbour, Siobhan Ni Gharbhaith, took over the business and now produces the cheese from the McDonald’s family farm, just a stone’s throw from the original birth place of the famed goats’ cheese. Young St. Tola is mild, creamy and slightly crumbly, as it matures the flavour deepens and the texture becomes softer. Even when it matures it has a lightness of flavour with some citrus notes, so it makes for an ideal entry level for people who might normally shy away from goats’ cheese.
Killeen’s goat’s cheese has been made by Marion Roeleweld in Killeen Millhouse outside Balinasloe since 2005. It’s a gouda-style goats’ cheese that celebrates the terroir and flavour of her own tribe of goats. The cheese is made in a classic Dutch style and has a natural orange-beige rind which contrasts with the bright white paste. It has a fresh, clean taste with a slightly lactic note on the wash. Gortnamona Goat’s Cheese is made by Breda and Pat Maher in Moyne, Thurles, Co Tipperary. It is a hand-made, soft goats’ cheese and Gortnamona is some-thing of the new kid on the block, but that hasn’t stopped them stacking up some impressive awards.
WWW.SHERIDANSCHEESEMONGERS.COM 25
FINAL FEAST TH E GLAD E K I N N EGAD CO. WESTMEATH
FINAL FEAST
Having decided on the ingredients for our menu for our FEAST we set out across Ireland to meet the people who make and grow the best of Irish produce. The journey took us from Dublin to Galway to Cork and many places in between. You could not help but be inspired by the stunning scenery just coming into bloom. It never ceased to amaze us that after an hour or two on the motorway we were driving through tree covered countryside and rolling mountain roads, the grey buildings of Dublin far behind us though the sun didn’t always shine. We broke bread with Patrick Ryan at the firehouse bakery on a wet and windy day on Heir Island, as the rain poured down outside he shared the secrets to his rosemary and roast garlic sour dough bread. Back in Dublin we found sunshine in some foraged cocktails. One of the newest additions to Dublin’s food scene is Damson Diner where drinks guru Oisin Davis treated us to a cocktail masterclass and demonstrated how to make his hedgerow cocktail with 26
foraged elderberry gin. The sun was out for us when we headed off early one bright morning for Ballyvolane House in Fermoy, Co. Cork for our starter of gravadlax, where Justin Greene gave us a tour of the grounds, showed us some fly fishing techniques and we even got to feed the pigs and collect freshly laid eggs. On the same day we visited Rosemarie Durr’s sweet little workshop in Kilkenny where she showed us how to throw a pot on a pottery wheel and provided us with the beautiful blue bowls we used for our Wild Garlic Soup. The star of the show was our main course of braised lamb shanks; we’d travelled deep into the hills of Connemara to get these from Martin Joe Kerrigan. There was lots of deep breaths as Martin took us up the hills on his quad bike to take photos from the top, mountain climbing is not so easy for city slickers like us. Dessert was provided by the Brown Hound Bakery and Jeni Glasgow who we needed no excuse to visit. Jeni treated us to sweet and savoury
baked goods before revealing the epic lemon temples for our FEAST. You can’t talk cheese in Ireland without referencing Sheridans Cheesemongers, and after a call to Elisabeth Ryan we were winging our way to their headquarters in the converted Carnaross Railway station. We were treated to homemade pizza’s in between taking images of Kevin Sheridan and Franck Le Moenner who manages the warehouse. One of the many highlights of shooting the images for FEAST was a visit to Mark Grehan’s stunning Powerscourt Townhouse shop, The Garden, where he put together the incredible bouquets which took pride of place on our FEAST table. We were on the lookout for a beautiful location for our final FEAST for quite some time until the suggestion of The Glade, a beautiful old Church of Ireland chapel was discovered. We drove down to meet the owner Nida Collins, who showed us around and we instantly fell in love with it. Finally everything was in place and all that was left to do was serve up our FEAST!
SPIR AL V EGETABLE CU T T ER - $15
ST R A INING STOCK P OT - $60
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T HE O CD CHEF CU TT ING BOARD - $22 Do you obsess over the accuracy of your juliennes and batonnets? Or perhaps you’re a culinary student whose chef instructor doesn’t tolerate uneven brunoises? Then, The Obsessive Chef Cutting Board is here to help Part kitchen tool, part OCD-encourager, the cutting 28
board includes guides for the most important cuts. And it should help impress your dinner guests with your knife skills, or to avoid getting yelled at in French. The cutting board is 9” x 12” with precise cutting measurements. Made of strong sustainable bamboo.
SUMMER - may 2016
SUMMER ISSUE SNEAK PEEK
Great things to come… Recipes to celebrate sunny summertimes Quick, fresh and intense
- FIR ST BIT E JUICY LUCY SL IDER S
- HOT DISH CHEE SY BI T E S & DISHE S - BBQ L IK E A NCIEN T C A JUNS