Feast High Summer

FEAST a

dinner

journal

sea so n 2

Welcome

w Elc o m E a

fea st

of

summer

2013

I

n this volume of FEAST: A Dinner Journal, we

to promote quality Irish free range chicken resulted

see summer slip away but we celebrate the last

in the ideal main course ingredient, spatchcocked

of the seasons finest produce. Summer for me

chicken with roast tomatoes served with fresh and

is when food truly comes alive, long light-filled

vibrant side dishes like fennel and beetroot salad and

evenings spent outdoors with friends and family

a herbed couscous with edible flowers.

celebrating life with memorable meals, it’s the

best way to savour the season. For our summer feast

Alongside a cake from The Wild Flour Bakery we

we scoured the Irish countryside for the best seasonal

couldn’t resist adding ice cream to our summer menu

ingredients and producers to include in our menu.

and a visit to Irish ice cream makers Bernie and

The journey began with Anna Leveque, her daughter

John Burke from Burke’s Farm provided us with an

(????) and the small herd of goats who produce milk

intriguing list of flavour combinations like raspberry

for one the Ireland’s finest cheeses, Triskel Goats

and panacotta and strawberry and clotted cream.

Cheese. In that same vein we continued across the country meeting artisan producers, whose passion

With our stellar line up of food producers and an

and dedication help create the very best quality

exciting menu, a visit to Jennifer Slattery’s design

ingredients. A few bee stings were worth the trouble

studio provided us with her unique Irish linens for

to extract some of the sweetest Irish honey from

our table. The grounds of Howth’s historic castle

Aisling Kennedy and her bees for our sweet summer

and cookery school was the scene for our summer

cocktail and for drizzling over Kate Packwood’s epic

feast and we served it up outside the castle walls

griddled stone fruit cake.

under the shade of large oak trees.

Some of summers finest herbs were gathered

While the darker days approach join with us and

from Denise Dunne to make and garnish a simple

celebrate the last of the seasons offerings with this,

sorrel soup by the great Irish food writer Theodora

our second issue of FEAST.

Fitzgibbon. Dearbhla ???/// and Marion ????/// the bright and bubbly duo from Dublin’s Pepperpot Café created mini loaves to serve at our table and a visit to a group of Irish farmers who have come together

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Donal

c ontrib ut ors

Ross Golden-Bannon

Donal Skehan

Sharon Hearne Smith

Editor

Photogr aPh Er

Ross has been eating for Ireland as

Donal is a food writer and photographer

Sharon’s job has taken her around the world

restaurant critic for The Sunday Business

with 3 cookbooks under his belt and

working with names like Ina Garten, Lorraine

Post since 2001 and he’s been the editor

presents TV show, Kitchen Hero, on

Pascale and Jamie Oliver. We’re head over

of FOOD&WINE Magazine since 2008.

RTÉ One in Ireland. Donal shot all the

heels in love with her styling and she made the

He was elected to membership of the Irish

features for FEAST and enjoyed every

soup on our cover look as good as it tastes.

Food Writers’ Guild in 2006. As the author

minute. FEAST was a dream he has had

Alongside her fabulous assistants Emma

of the ebook How to Write About Food

since he first started writing about food

Nelson and Julie Ann Miller she cooked

he’s happiest when he’s a good meal in

and his guiding principle was to celebrate

through our FEAST recipes making each and

front of him along with some fresh copy

the the stories of the people

every one look particularly special.

and a big red pen.

behind the food.

Foo d st ylist

Text copyright © 2013 Ross Golden-Bannon & Donal Skehan Photography copyright

Jane Matthews dE sign Er

Having previously designed some of

© 2013 Donal Skehan Cover copyright © 2013 Ross Golden-Bannon

Sofie Larsson

ProP st ylist

& Donal Skehan.

Sofie, originally from Sweden now works

Ireland’s leading magazines we knew that

with Donal Skehan on his TV series and

Jane’s elegant designs would help make

All rights reserved.

cook books and has the rather exciting job

sense of the wild idea of FEAST. She

of collecting beautiful things from far and

was immediately enthusiastic when we

Published by

first mentioned it to her. She has chosen

wide to feature in his food photography.

Donal Skehan

Sofie’s extra touches made the table setting

some of the best images from a pile of

trading as

for our final FEAST something truly special

thousands and tied them down with

Donal Skehan

with vintage plates and napkins all the way

sweet and simple designs.

& RGB Consulting.

from Sweden.

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t He menu

m ENU summer

/autumn

2013

Co Cktail Honey and ginger syrup strawberry fizz with honey from Apitherapy Honey 6

BrEad m ini white yeast loaves from the Pepperpot 14

sou P Theodora Fitzgibbon’s fresh sorrel soup with The Herb Garden 22

start Er Pan fried trout from Goatsbridge Trout Farm with beetroot and fennel salad 30

Main Cours E Herb roast spatchcock chicken with griddled pea pods and shaved summer vegetables salad from Farmers to m arket Free Range c hicken 38

dE ssErt Griddled stone fruit cake with honey from the w ilde Flour Bakery 46

Ch EEsE Triskell goats’ cheese with rhubarb compote 54

trEats c lotted cream and strawberry semifreddo, inspired by Burke’s Icecream Farm 60

sEtting th E ta BlE Jennifer Slattery’s table linens 68

tak E your s Eats Kitchen in the c astle at Howth c astle 74 -4-

t He menu

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a p i t H e r a p y pu r e

iris H Honey

co c K TAIl apitHerapy

pu r e

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iris H

Honey

a p i t H e r a p y pu r e

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iris H Honey

a p i t H e r a p y pu r e

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iris H Honey

a p i t H e r a p y pu r e

iris H Honey

a

isling ????? has been making honey since ??? though her love of bees and their terroir goes back much further. She grew up beside Lambe’s Orchard in Donabate and watched the changing seasons amongst the fruit trees and blackberry bushes. It was the first time she’d seen a beehive and marvelled at the location where the bees could feed on the richly diverse blossoms.

Aisling is a member of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers and also has a bit of a royal past, in 2011 she was appointed the Irish Honey Queen by the Federation, representing the interests of the Federation across the country. She is passionate about the honey she produces extolling its many benefits, from the ancient sweetness to the many healing and therapeutic qualities connected to the golden liquid. The bees at Apitherapy Pure Irish Honey collect nectar from a variety of blossoms and the honey is then extracted from the hive and filtered. The process is a gentler one than mainstream honey production as it is not pasteurized and the lower heating helps retain the minerals and vitamins. The process also ensures a more complex floral flavour lasts and lasts on the palate. We loved it so much we used it on our cocktail as well as our stone fruit cake on page 46. Aisling copy missing address address address address address address

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Patrick and his partner Laura run the bakery together on Heir island; Boatman Richie Pyburn in oilskins at the helm as he drives the ferry on the short trip from the mainland to Heir Island; Patrick sprinkles his toasted seed bread with sesame seeds before they bake of f in a wood fired oven; Bread bubbling with air being punched down to create Patrick’s classic sourdough loaves.

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a p i t H e r a p y pu r e

iris H Honey

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a p i t H e r a p y pu r e

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iris H Honey

a p i t H e r a p y pu r e

iris H Honey

lEMon and h on Ey Fizz 350m lemonade

Combine lemonade, Grand Marnier and honey in a large pitcher,

concentrate ???

slowly add the soda and sparkling wine and mix well. Serve in cham-

4 tablespoon Grand

pagne flutes with a few strawberries in each glass.

m arnier 4 tablespoons honey 450ml soda 750ml sparkling wine, preferably dry l arge handful of strawberries

Serves 8

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a p i t H e r a p y pu r e

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iris H Honey

t H e p e p p e r p ot

BREAD t He

pepper

p ot

power scour t t own centre Dub lin 2

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t H e p e p p e r p ot

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t H e p e p p e r p ot

t

he Pepper Pot was opened on 4th of June 2010 by Marian Kilcoyne and Dervla James. Dervla had just completing the B.Sc. in Baking and pastry arts while I had graduated from the twelve week Ballymaloe certificate course in 2009. Both of us have a lot of experience within the industry, and always dreamed of having our own places. (Dervla working as a chef in Anton’s in Galway and Marian a manager in

Café Bar Deli Georges street). While working together we became friends ( many an evening spent planning our dream café over a pint) and realised our ethos and philosophies were very similar when it came to food and the industry, an opportunity arouse and we went for it…. Things were tight but we spent time scouring the internet for second hand ovens and the like. It was very much opened on a shoe string dragging family and friends in to help with the promise of a pear and bacon sandwich. Our name comes from The Pepper Pot tower in the grounds of The Powerscourt estate in Enniskerry ( Choosing a name was very difficult but we knew straight away when we came across The Pepper Pot, It just felt right) We make and bake everything on site, daily and source our ingredients locally. We use Goldriver farm for most of our vegetable produce. We choose to go with small artisan Irish prducers where possible. Opening our café was a life style choice, we both love what we do and we wanted The Pepper Pot to be an extension of ourselves and to reflect our philosophies and personalities. We are very grateful for our hard working and friendly staff and our lovely customers. Powerscourt Town Centre, South William Street, Dublin 2, + 353 (01) 707 1610.www.thepepperpot.ie.

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t H e p e p p e r p ot

Mini whit E yEast l oavEs 1.5k strong white flour

Preheat the oven to 210c. Line three 1lb loaf tins with silicone paper.

30g salt

Sieve flour and salt together and then rub in the butter with your fingertips. Make a well with your hand, forming a large space in the centre with

30g butter

a wall of flour surrounding it. Crumble your yeast into the well and add

50g yeast

the water. Dissolve the yeast by swirling your hands in a circular motion.

875g water Begin to incorporate the flour, a little at a time. Knead, stretching the dough as you knead. Knead until you develop a smooth dough. It should look like ?????. Set aside and cover with a large bowl and allow to ferment for 45 minutes during which time it will expand. After 45 minutes knock the dough back, this releases the gas the yeast have produced. Quickly mould back into a round shape and set aside for a further 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes divide the dough in three and use a weighing scales to measure out each third into 800g. Shape into thre round balls of dough.

Cover again. After 5 minutes knuckle ????? out, shape into rolls and place in lined tins. Dust with flour and place on top of your oven ???? do you mean the top shelf ??? for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, cut the bread with a knife giving it three traditional vertical slits and place back ????? in the oven. After a further 30 minutes remove from the tins and allow to crisp up in the oven fur a further 5 minutes. Remove breads and place in a wired rack to cool.

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da m s o n

di n e r

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t H e He r b G a r d e n

So UP t He Herb

Garden

For De- De-F yne t he n a ul, c o Dub lin

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tH e Herb Garden

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t H e He r b G a r d e n

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t He Herb Garden

d

enise Dunne grew up in suburban Dublin in Santry in the 1960s but unlike the urban gardens of other homes her parents filled their’s with every imaginable edible plant and some animals too, creating a home-grown paradise in a quiet cul-de-sac. Good food was important to her family and they were practically selfsufficient long before it was fashionable.The result was that

Denise’s childhood was utterly immersed in the world of herbs and plants. Today she runs The Herb Garden, a certified organic herb nursery, where you’ll also find organic salad leaves, flowers and native Irish wildflower seeds. Denis’ knowledge is encyclopedic and runs beyond the more obvious use of herbs in cooking to safe medicinal remedies as well as cosmetic uses and even general household work.

After a few minutes chatting to Denise we realised she’s the go-to person for all things herby – from recreating a medieval garden to a sensory space you’ll hear the story of every herb as she chats and offers you a nibble of the leaves. An ideal person to supply us with sorrel for our soup recipe.

The Herb Garden, Forde-de-Fyne, Naul, County Dublin, + 353 (01) 841 3907 www. theherbgarden.ie

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t He Herb Garden

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.

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t H e He r b G a r d e n

th Eodo ra Fitzgi BBon’s so rr El sou P Fo R THE So UP

Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook for about 5

75g unsalted butter

minutes until softened but not not browned. Toss the sorrel through then

1 large onion, roughly chopped

shake the flour over the vegetables, mix well and let it cook for about 1 minute.

450g sorrel, washed and roughly chopped

Meanwhile, bring the stock to the boil, then add to the pan. Then add the

3 tablespoons plain flour

breadcrumbs, season to taste and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 1

2.5 litre vegetable stock

hour, covered. Then, liquidise until smooth.

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs 2 egg yolks 150ml cream

Beat the egg yolks with the cream and stir a little of the hot soup in. This ensures the eggs don’t scramble. Then gradually add the mixture into the hot soup pot, stirring well, over the heat but being careful not to let it boil.

200ml créme fraîche A handful of micro herbs or edible flowers

Sear the meat slices in a hot dry frying pan for 30 seconds on each side until crisp and golden.

8 thin slices of Fingal Ferguson’s Guanciale Sea salt and ground black pepper

Ladle the soup into wide rimmed serving bowls. Spoon a little crème fraîche in the centre of each and stick a piece of crisp guanciale into each one. Scatter the micro herbs and edible flowers over and serve.

th Eodo ra Fitzgi BBon This recipe was the inspiration of Theodora Fitzgibbon, a legendary figure in the Irish food world. Throughout her long writing career she wrote more than thirty books including The Food of the Western World, a project that took her fifteen years and won her several awards. Her most famous work was A Taste of Ireland. She died in 1991 at the age of 75 so her formidable knowledge was not shared with the contemporary world of the internet and bloggers. We’re delighted to share her recipe with you through this uniquely Irish recipe.

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r o s e m a r y du r r p o t t e r y

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G o at s b r i d G e t r o u t

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STARTER Go atsb rid Ge trout

t h o m ast own c o. Kil Kenny

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G o at s b r i d G e t r o u t

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G o at s b r i d G e t r o u t

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he fresh, clear waters of the Little Arrigle River feed the rainbow trout rearing ponds of Goatsbridge Trout Farm in Thomastown, County Kilkenny. Established in 1961 it is now run by the second generation of the same family, namely Jer and Mags Kirwan. They are tireless supporters of the best the lush countryside and clear rivers the South-East has to offer. It is one of only a few trout farms

producing wholly local fish from start to finish. The cool rivers have a long history of trout farming stretching back to the twelfth century when the monks of Jerpoint Abbey were fishing here too. Today, much of the practices of the Kirwans mirror the gentler intervention in the life cycle of the fish which the monks might well recognise. The trout spend most of their time in earthen ponds and as Jer and Mags are exacting in the implementation of their eco-credentials, sustainability remains a core concern for them. They even re-stock the waters of some of Ireland’s most esteemed locations including Mount Juliet. The Kirwans manage the entire life-cycle and production of the trout including the harvesting and processing right through to filleting and pin-boning. When you visit the farm, and people are encouraged to visit, you’ll find a family who live and breath the ethos of their farm. You’re as likely to be invited to join them for lunch as you are to get a knowledgeable tour.

There’s just one problem, we struggled to decide which product we liked most, from delicately smoked trout to lightly cooked fillets and the magical trout caviar, it is a happy problem to have. In the end we went for the trout fillets for our FEAST. Goatsbridge Trout Farm, Thomastown, County Kilkenny. www.goatsbridgetrout.ie

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G o at s b r i d G e t r o u t

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G o at s b r i d G e t r o u t

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Pan Fri Ed g oat sBridg E trout with r oast BEEtr oo t and FEnn El sal ad 500g baby beetroot,

Fo R THE BEETRoo T AND FENNEl SAl AD

trimmed and washed

Preheat the oven to 160C. Place the beetroots on a large piece of tin foil,

2 tablespoons olive oil

drizzle the olive oil over and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over

8 trout fillets

to enclose in a parcel and roast for 1 hour or until tender when pierced

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large fennel, with fronds,

with a knife. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by simply whisking the olive oil, white wine vinegar and salt and pepper together in a large bowl and set aside. Once cooked, peel and halve the beetroots and set aside.

finely sliced 2 lemons, each cut into 4 wedges

Fo R THE TRo UT Just before serving, cook the trout. Use two large frying pans to ensure all

Fo R THE DRESSING

the fish is cooked and ready at the same time. Divide the butter between

6 tablespoons olive oil

two large frying pans and melt over a medium heat. Gently fry the trout,

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

flesh side down first, for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To SERv E Toss the fennel through the dressing, reserving the fronds for now. Don’t toss the beetroot otherwise it will stain the fennel. Arrange the fennel in the centre of each serving plate and scatter the beetroot on top. Drizzle any remaining dressing over and then carefully lay a trout fillet, flesh side up on top. Roughly tear the fennel fronds over and serve with a wedge of lemon.

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G o at s b r i d G e t r o u t

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Vir ginia c o c a Va n

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harles Smith’s family have been farming the land in Longfield, County Cavan since the 1700s. The present day farm includes dairy and beef livestock but in the long history of the farm the poultry farming is a relatively new development for Charles and his brother John. When their parents got married in 1966 their mother, Bernie, brought a tradition

of raising turkeys for Christmas to the farm. This soon expanded to a supply for Easter and then an all-year-round business which included chickens. When the brothers took over the farm the initial small holding of 50 acres grew and their farming business expanded. But even still it was a limited amount of space so it was only natural that the two brothers would expand into poultry as it is less land intensive. They were also keen to continue the tradition of free range poultry raring that they’d grown up with. The farm was the first in the State to apply for a free range licence but sometimes all the extra effort they put in was lost in the mainstream. They got together with other farmers and created the Farmers to Market group to highlight the greater effort they put into raising their chickens. There are twelve famers in total, made up of ten families as there are two sets of brothers, many have been farming the land for as long as the Smith family. It is a well known adage that things are cheap for a reason but time and effort deliver greater taste and flavour. This is certainly the case with the Hubbard bird which Charles Smith explains grows more slowly giving a better quality bird. Almost uniquely for the sector Charles feeds the birds twice a day, they don’t have access to feed all the time, just in the morning and the afternoon, the rest of the time they are free to roam the field which surrounds their sheds. The lights go out at night time too, for a proper rest instead of leaving the lights on to encourage further feeding and faster growth. The sheds are specifiably built with an eye for the comfort of the birds, positioned in the middle of a field, with green grass all the way around, so they have full access to the open air all day. Charles’ attention to the detail of the poultry’s life cycle is a mark of a man who believes in quality and integrity, his farm is a happy marriage of modern knowledge with the best of our traditional farming culture. We’ve used his chickens as the main course for our feast, with some gentle seasoning to allow the quality of this product to shine through. Charles and John Smith’s Farm, Virginia, Co Cavan, 353 (0) 46 928 6644, info@farmerstomarket.ie

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hE rB roast s Pat ChCo Ck Chi CkEn with sha vEd suMMEr v Eg Eta BlE sal ad, grid dlEd PEa Pods and na stur tiu M Cous Cous Firstly, spatchcock the chicken. Turn the chicken breast-side down on a chopping Fo R THE c HIc KEN

board with the legs towards you. Using strong kitchen scissors cut the whole way

2kg whole chicken form Farmers to

along each side of the backbone to remove it, cutting through the ribs as you go.

m arket

Now to open the chicken out flat, turn it over and flatten the breastbone down using

1 litre buttermilk

the heel of your hand. To marinade the chicken, sit it in a wide bowl and pour the buttermilk over to cover. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or preferably overnight.

l arge handful of lemon verbena

The buttermilk tenderises the chicken.

leaves, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200C. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and dry with kitchen towel. Run your hand under the skin covering the chicken

Fo R THE v EGETABl ES

breast to loosen it from the meat. Place the lemon verbena into this pocket, spreading

2kg vine tomatoes, different colours

it out evenly. Rub all over the outside skin with olive oil and season with salt and

and sizes, small ones left whole, larg-

pepper. To keep the bird flat when cooking, insert a metal skewer diagonally across

er ones halved

the chicken, piercing it through the thigh across through the breast and into the wing.

2 tablespoons olive oil

Repeat with a second skewer running across the opposite way so they are criss-crossed.

8 sprigs of thyme

Heat a large griddle pan on a high heat and place the spatchcock breast side down for

400g peas in their pods, washed

4-5 minutes to create dark griddle marks. Then, transfer onto a baking tray, breast side up, to cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Fo R THE SHAv ED SAl AD

Next, prepare the tomatoes. Arrange them in a single layer on a large baking tray.

6 tablespoons olive oil

Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, tear the sprigs of thyme on top and scat-

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

ter salt and pepper over. Roast in the oven with the chicken for 25-30 minutes until

200g selection of heirloom baby

softened and just catching colour.

beetroots, peeled 200g baby carrots, trimmed and

Meanwhile, prepare the salad. To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, white wine

peeled

vinegar and salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Thinly slice the mixed beet-

1 yellow courgette, trimmed

Fo R THE c o US co US

400g cous cous

roots, carrots and courgettes on a mandolin, or use a vegetable peeler, and arrange them on a large serving platter. Set both aside for now. Just before serving drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss together lightly. Finally, toss the pea pods in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and griddle them on a high heat for 2-3 minutes each side until you get dark lines across each pod. Season generously with sea salt.

6 nasturtium flowers Sea salt and freshly ground black

Just before the chicken is ready pour enough boiling water over the cous cous to just

pepper

cover. Cover with cling film and set aside for about 5 minutes until all of the water

Serves 8

has been soaked up and the cous cous has softened. Tear the nasturtium leaves onto the cous cous, drizzle the olive oil over, season well with salt and pepper and stir everything together well. Spoon into a serving bowl.

Remove the chicken and tomatoes from the oven. Remove the skewers from the chicken and section into pieces with a sharp knife, arranging them on a platter as you go. Spoon the tomatoes and their juices onto a large platter.

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Wild fl our b aker y

t He Wild fl our b aker y

h o nest2goo Dness p ro Ducer s’ m ar Ket gl asne Vin, Dub lin 11

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Wild fl our b aker y

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Wild fl our b aker y

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Wild fl our b aker y

f

rom the magic of The Wild Flour Bakery comes such delights as the griddled stone fruit cake created by Kate Packwood. She moved to Ireland from England in 1999 and we are so glad she did. Kate had initially planned to turn her literary studies into a career in academia but she was bitten by the cookery bug and she set up a micro-bakery in Dublin in April of 2012. As she says herself: “I believe in food that

is not only nourishing but delightful and ethical too.” This means she sources locally as she believes this is the best way of ensuring the ingredients she uses were not obtained by exploiting anyone. Kate says she never looks at other bakeries for inspiration, instead she looks to savoury dishes to see how the flavour mixes might translate into cakes. If she has been commissioned to create a cake she will meet the people and listen to what they like and who they are, drawing inspiration from that too. Organic eggs and flour are combined with seasonal Irish fruit to make cakes of the highest creativity. Kate uses fruit from her friend Rosie O’Sullivan’s Spring Cottage Organic Farm in Co Westmeath, knowing the provenance of food means she can be certain of the quality of the cakes she makes and serves to the people she loves. The Wildflour Micro-Bakery www.wildflourbakery.ie

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Wild fl our b aker y Evendi ut laut as diti ut experup taspiendi ipsam la sinctat.Untiur audis rem ratet fuga. Itatis ut pror ma velectatus dolut ulliciati re at ma vente quo quid que pa dem quaturiossi ut es

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Wild fl our b aker y

Rit laut asperatis etusdae perfernatur?

El eatempo rehent omnimi, officimusant eicit molorum nusant vent. Inctent. Ecestiur?

Ibust ent hic to blate vere pro dolest, que

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g riddl Ed ston E Fruit s, hon Ey and thy ME Cak E Fo R THE SPo NGE

Fo R THE SPo NGE

6 large organic eggs

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease and line the bottom of three 8” cake

180g caster sugar

pans. Whisk the eggs and sugar on high to the until they look like thick

180g plain flour, sieved

ribbons, about 10 minutes. Fold in the sieved flour very gently until incorporated. Divide the mixture between the three pans and bake for 1820 minutes until the cakes pull away slightly from the edges of the pans.

Fo R THE BUTTERc REAm

6 large organic egg

Make sure to rotate (up and down or around??) the pans halfway through cooking time but do this quickly.

whites 450g caster sugar

Fo R THE BUTTERc REAm

200ml water

Gently heat the sugar and water in a medium pan, stirring until the sugar is

675g unsalted butter, at

dissolved. Turn up the heat to high and heat the sugar syrup to 116°C, this

room temperature

will take about 10 minutes. While the sugar is heating, put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to soft peaks. When the sugar has

Fo R THE STo NE FRUIT co m Po TE

reached 116°C, very carefully pour it in a slow but steady stream into the whisked egg whites, whisking constantly. Turn the stand mixer up to full

3 peaches

speed and whisk for about 10-15 minutes until the meringue is cooled to

2 apricots

room temperature. Mash the softened butter with a fork, and then add small increments to the meringue, ensuring that the butter and meringue

1 nectarine

are at the same temperature before adding. When all the butter is added,

100g sugar

whisk at high speed for another 5-10 minutes and then set aside. If the

2 sprigs of thyme

buttercream is too soft, put in the fridge to firm up slightly, ensuring it

A splash of white wine

Fo R THE GRIDDl ED STo NE FRUITS

doesn’t harden too much to spread.

Fo R THE STo NE FRUIT co m Po TE Remove the stones and dice the fruit, no need to peel. Add all the

2 peaches

ingredients to a small saucepan and heat on a medium heat for 10 minutes,

3 apricots

then remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside to cool fully.

To DEco RATE

A handful of cherries Honey

Fo R THE GRIDDl ED STo NE FRUITS Heat a griddle pan until piping hot. Meanwhile de-stone the fruits and cut in half. Place flesh side down on the griddle pan and press in to the pan.

Cook until griddle marks appear on the fruit. Set aside to cool.

Thyme leaves A pinch of sea salt flakes

To ASSEm Bl E Place a sponge on your desired cake stand. Divide the buttercream and compote in three. Then spread the first sponge with a third of the buttercream and a third of the compote. Chop some of the griddled fruit and arrange, then drizzle with honey and thyme leaves. Repeat for the next two layers, then add a little sea salt to the very top.

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triskell Go

at s c H e e s e

c HEESE triskel

G o at s c H e e s e

Kill owen o r char D p o r t l a w, c o w ater For D

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he Breton and Irish cultures have always had much in common, we have a shared dairy tradition as well as our native Celtic languages, songs and poetry. The cheese maker Anna Leveque knows all about these happy links across the water and has married the two great cheese making terroirs. She spent part of her childhood on her grandparents’ dairy farm in Brittany before going to study agricul-

ture in France which included a placement with Teagasc here in Ireland. Once her studies were completed she returned to Ireland, Brittany’s loss was Ireland’s gain.

Having worked with Irish cheese makers and goat farmers she fulfilled a long-held hope to set up her own cheese making enterprise and Triskel Goats Cheese was born. In keeping with her dairy heritage Anna created a soft, French-style goats cheese drawn from a tribe of local goats. She produces three cheese varieties, the Pyramid, Crottin and Bouche, all created in keeping with the ancient cheese making tradition of hand-ladling the curds into the cheese moulds. The cheeses have a delicate, subtle flavour, yet unique amongst Irish cheeses for all their lightness.

They are fast becoming a favourite on the cheeseboards of many of Ireland’s fine-dining restaurants as well as an ingredient in their kitchens. We’ve served it at our FEAST with some fruity rhubarb compote, though we suggest you taste it on its own first. Anna Leveque, Triskel Goats Cheese, Killowen Orchard, Portlaw, Co Waterford, tel: + 353 (0) 86 074 4534.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT BeEliat. Sunte doloribus nos esed qui aceratum elestib uscitiantur?Um int ommodit anda dit rempe poruntiis corae suntur magnatest quis esed quam et rem ipsuntusam, et alit molest, omniscid molorum dolupit, siminum expeles ea autas res sed

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at s c H e e s e

Fictatiorum hitatumquam, niet ad mi, aut ipiciistius evelitius reperat odit aut aboreste plaut qui dolumqui tessum que plistiunt optatassim

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rhu Bar B CoMPot E 1 tablespoon

Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the red onion and cook on a

unsalted butter

medium heat for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the

1 small red onion,

rhubarb, sugar and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cook for

finely chopped

10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb has softened. Set aside until cool and serve at room temperature with Triskel goats cheese and a

250g rhubarb stalks,

variety of seeded crackers.

finely chopped 3 tablespoons golden caster sugar 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar Irish Atlantic Sea Salt Fresh ground black pepper

m akes about 200g

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bu r k e s

f arm

icecream

Ic E c REAm bu r k e s

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icecream

tara n a Va n , c o m e a t h

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icecream

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b

ernie and John Burke have been producing ice cream since 2006 but they have been farming the land at Tara in County Meath for some twenty years. Making ice cream wasn’t something they decided to take on lightly. They did extensive research of ice cream farmers in England before deciding that the higher fat content of the Jersey cow gave the very best milk for their forty odd flavours. They also

sought out the expertise of an Italian ice cream maker and their hard work has paid off with shelves groaning with awards including a Great Taste Award. The variates of Burke’s ice cream and sorbet show a real flair for interesting combinations from Boyne Valley Blue Cheese and wild berries; and chocolate with hot chilli peppers to basil or even coconut sorbet. Classics are also popular like brown bread bread ice cream as well as rum and raisin, but by far their most popular flavour is honeycomb and vanilla. Bernie says they can hardly keep it on the shelves, though her personal favourite, is her own creation, panna cotta and raspberry ice cream. People are welcome to visit the farm and see the Burkes in action. It is a labour intensive enterprise as they hand fill the tubs but for those who prefer their ice cream in larger portions you can order an ice cream cake. Now that’s our idea of a feast. Burkes Farm Ice Cream, Tara, Navan, County Meath, + 353 (0) 46 9025232, + 353 (0) 87 9532656, www.burkesfarmicecream.com

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TABl E l INEN j ennifer

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t he m al th ouse Desi gn c entre Dub lin 1

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s la tter y t extiles

ennifer Slattery’s unique textiles are a celebration of the ancient and modern. From napkins and table runners to special commissions her work combines both embroidery and print techniques of original works created by hand. As Jennifer explains: “I appreciate pieces that have survived the test of time. My work is a celebration of the everyday heirloom.” A recent collection entitled ‘An Imperfect World’ explores

these beliefs, taking inspiration from her grandmother’s house, which is also Jennifer’s home. She weaves new stories from the ornaments and objects of previous generations into modern-day heirlooms. In particular she is inspired by the links between memory and small, cherished objects which often have little value but are filled with the treasure of precious memories. Jennifer sees great worth in the heritage of little things, trinkets and objet trouvé made all the more interesting by the imperfections and flaws which time have created. This patina of flaws add character to objects of everyday heritage. Jennifer Slattery Textiles, The Malthouse Design Centre, Distillery Court, 537 North Circular Road, Dublin 1, +353 (0)86 075 4086. www.jenniferslatterytextiles.com

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H

aving 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 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!

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