Taste Ireland Magazine

taste Ballymaloe roast rack of lamb with fresh apple & mint chutney Serves 4–6 as a main course 2 racks of spring lamb (6–8 cutlets each) Salt and freshly ground black pepper for the fresh apple and mint chutney 1 large cooking apple (such as Grenadier or Bramley Seedling), peeled and cored Large handful of fresh mint leaves – Spearmint or Bowles mint 50g (2oz) onions, peeled and roughly chopped 20–50g (¾–2oz) caster sugar (depending on tartness of apple) Salt and cayenne pepper, to season

1 2

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas mark 7.

Score the fat of the racks into roughly 2–3cm (¾–1¼in) squares or diamonds, making sure to cut through only the fat, not the meat. Sprinkle the scored fat with salt and pepper and place on a roasting tray, fat side up. You can either cook it straight away or refrigerate until needed.

Roast the racks for 25–35 minutes depending on the age of the lamb (very small racks in spring might take just 25 minutes, but larger racks later on in the year might take 35 minutes to cook) and degree of doneness required.

When cooked, remove the lamb to a warm serving dish. Turn off the oven and leave the lamb to rest for 5–10 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, put the apple, mint, onions and sugar in a food processor and whiz to combine, then season with salt and cayenne pepper.

Carve the lamb and serve 2–3 cutlets per person, depending on the size of the cutlets. Serve with the chutney.

3

“

“

Rachel says:

A rack is a deliciously tender cut of lamb that, once it’s been prepared, is easy to carve and serve. Ask your butcher to prepare it for roasting if you’d rather not do it yourself. The apple and mint chutney is particularly good with young sweet lamb in the spring or summer

34 taste

4 5

taste

The perfect match Looking for full-bodied reds, aromatic whites or romantic rosé wine?

Wine expert Richard Bampfield has all you need to kick-start the festive season Graves Grande Reserve

This is very young for a Bordeaux but is intentionally made for early drinking and is already remarkably smooth for a young claret. With typical Graves fragrance and a touch of smokiness in the background, this is rounded and flavoursome. Really rather tasty — best drunk with firm cheeses or grilled meats.

Pouilly-Fumé Les Pierres Blanches

Although the Sauvignon Blanc grape is now more associated with New Zealand, its Loire Valley home in France still produces some of the most stunning examples. With textbook aromas that evoke citrus, fennel and blackcurrant leaf, this is a finely crafted wine with more depth of flavour than usual for Sauvignon, reflecting the outstanding 2014 vintage. Dry and crisp, it is bracing without any sharpness and lingers long on the palate.

Mâcon-Villages Bourcier-Martinot

The vineyards around Mâcon in Southern Burgundy have proved themselves a fine source of Chardonnay, which ripens well here, producing consistently attractive dry whites. This has subtle tropical fruit flavours and an appealing creaminess that keeps it smooth and satisfying. Well-balanced and most enjoyable.

48 taste

Sancerre Vigne de la Taille aux Buis

This is a wine that shows why Loire Valley vignerons were so excited about the 2014 vintage - it has a depth, persistence of flavour and mouth-watering finish that can only be found in the best years.

With delicate aromas, it really blossoms on the palate and provides a very pure expression of the Sauvignon grape. Make the most of this vintage while we can still find it. ateau de la The vineyards of Ch

Rivière

Corbières La Combe des Oliviers Rosé

Perhaps more than any other wine style, rosé is judged on its colour. This is bright and appealing, with hues of pink and orange. Surprisingly complex, with aromas of pear, strawberry and liquorice, it is dry, tasty and beautifully balanced. Made partly from the Syrah grape, there is even a characteristic, peppery note that enhances the fresh-tasting finish.

French wine selection at Lidl

Richard Bampfi eld

taste

Buying wine as a gift?

– here are some do’s and don’ts

Wine remains a classic Christmas gift. To help ensure your gift is remembered this year, here are some handy tips from winesdirect.ie •

Do...get them what they normally drink, only better There is a time and a place for buying an experimental or obscure bottle of wine.

Christmas is probably not such an occasion. It's better to get them something you know they’ll enjoy and to choose a higher quality version of the wine type they love. For example, if they like Sauvignon Blanc, don’t just get them any old one. Choose something a little bit special like a premium French version from Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé or a top quality New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with a bit of a story behind it.

•

Do…choose something you’d like to have This is a useful tip if you're not acquainted with their personal preferences. Choose wines that you’d like to have, and include a note explaining why you like it. By making it personal like this, the lucky recipient cannot fail to be impressed by your thoughtfulness. Now the person whom you thought would be a nightmare to buy for has a discerning and meaningful wine gift with none of the needless fretting and head scratching.

•

Don't…choose the mass-produced brands We all know leaving price-tags attached is a giftgiving gaffe. Yet many of us will receive a wine that has confronted us in the bargain aisle of the chain supermarkets for the past few weeks.

Now not only do we know that the gift was 'an amazing €5.99' but it is also probably terrible, manipulated plonk. Try to go for something a bit different or less common when it’s a gift.

There are some really great small wine stores around the country and their staff are often more than happy to advise.

•

Do…choose an impressive looking bottle Some of the most beautiful wines on the planet come in bottles that make them look less than average and first impressions can linger. To make sure your gift stands out from the crowd, choose a bottle that looks the part.

Impressive examples include the tall slender bottles of Alsace and Austria or the embossed bottles from the Rhône, particularly those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The drawing power of a famous Bordeaux or Burgundy appellation on a label can also give your gift some added appeal.

The perfect mulled-wine Spiced mulled wine is a winter favourite - warm, flavourful and always so comforting!

1 bottle red wine 1 orange, sliced 60ml brandy (optional) 60ml honey or 60g caster sugar 8 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 2 star anise

1 2

Combine all ingredients in a nonaluminium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. Strain and serve warm.

You can also place the oranges, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise in cheesecloth. Then simply strain and pull out the bundle when ready. taste 49

taste

In Season

Let the recipes of winter warm you with hardy root vegetables, tangy cranberries, robust greens, and citrus fruits. Janice Butler reports

Blood oranges

Blood oranges are best eaten fresh – on their own or in salads, salsas and marmalades. The two most popular varieties are the dark-fleshed Moro, which is available from December through March, and the delicately flavoured Tarocco, which you can find from January through May. To select, pick fruits that are firm to the touch and seem heavy for their size.

Beetroot

Fresh beetroot are now commonplace on restaurant menus. With hues ranging from yellow to purple, they lend themselves to dramatic presentations. To select, choose small to medium beets with firm, smooth skin and no soft spots, with stems and leaves attached.

Turnip greens Often called winter greens, turnip greens are actually available almost all year-round, but in deep winter, they become sweeter. The greens aren't the only good product of this vegetable, of course. Choose smaller turnips that are less likely to have a woody tasteless core and boil, mash, roast and puree them and dress with butter.

Leeks

Although leeks resemble large green onions, they're milder and sweeter. Leeks are usually cooked since they're very fibrous when raw.

To select, buy leeks with crisp leaves and blemish-free stalks and remember to slice them open lengthways and wash thoroughly before use.

52 taste

taste

Slow-cooker baked apples with pecans, raisins & allspice 50g porridge oats Pinch of salt 25g raisins or cranberries 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon allspice 6 Granny Smith apples (Braeburn would work well, too) To serve Handful of chopped pecans Natural yogurt

1 2

3

4 5 6

“

Lorraine says:

The ideal would be to pop these in the slow cooker at night and then wake up and have them ready and soft for the morning. I did try this but alas, in the morning the apples were a soggy (but tasty) heap of goo in the centre with crispy bits of breakfastness clinging defiantly to the sides of my slow cooker. Needless to say, I popped my spoon in the goo and ate as much as I could. These apples do not need overnight to cook. However, I have cooked these ahead of time and then just eaten them cold in the morning. If you are not against using microwaves and want yours hot then of course you could zap the cold apples in there for a couple of minutes

“

Mix together the porridge oats, salt, raisins or cranberries, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a small bowl.

Cut about 1–2cm off the tops of the apples and set aside. Then, using an apple corer, remove the core of each apple. Sit the apple bases in the bowl of your slow cooker.

Using a teaspoon, divide the mixture among the apples in the slow cooker.

I like to use the handle of the spoon to pack the mixture into the core cavity and then spoon the excess onto their flat tops.

Pop the lids back on each one and cover with the slow cooker lid.

Cook in the slow cooker for about 3–4 hours on low. You want the apples to be soft but not so soft that they collapse.

Once cooked, remove from the slow cooker and serve with a handful of chopped pecans and some natural yogurt. These apples are also quite tasty cold from the fridge.

taste 57

taste_P54-58.indd 4

10/21/2015 2:41:29 PM

“

taste

Susan says:

Practically humming with energy, the sesame and chia seeds in this recipe will deliver a fleet of minerals to service your mojo. These seeds are also crammed with B vitamins to nourish frayed nerves and low batteries at a fraction of the price of a marriage counsellor. You’re welcome. Just two truffles will deliver 100% of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin E. Ooh argh! This vitamin is hailed as one of the most powerful antioxidants in the fight against free radical damage (that’s fancy speak for ageing skin). Think of vitamin E as the patron saint of Eternal Youth.

“

From The Virtuous Tart by Susan Jane White, Published by Gill & Macmillan

Amazonian truffles Makes 30 truffles 1/4 cup (60ml) light or dark tahini 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup 2 tablespoons acai powder Pinch of sea salt flakes 1/2 cup (45g) milled chia seeds 4 tablespoons ground almonds 2 tablespoons cocoa or cacao powder, plus extra for dusting

1

3

2

4

With a fork, beat the tahini, maple syrup, acai powder and a pinch of sea salt flakes together in a medium bowl until sumptuously glossy. Measure in the remaining ingredients and encourage them to rumba. This may take a bit of persuasion.

Take a cherry-sized ball of the mixture and roll it between the palms of your hands to form a soft truffle.

Drop each one into cocoa powder and roll it around to coat it. Set on a cold plate.

As soon as you’ve used up all the mixture (you should get 30 or so truffles), refrigerate them. Keep your thirsty fingers busy while the truffles set. One hour should do the trick.

There’s no need to stick to acai powder in this recipe. Try ground ginger for a cheaper alternative or dust the truffles in beetroot powder for Barbie-loving toddlers.

taste 63

taste Baked crostini with mozzarella, prosciutto & figs Crostini con mozzarella, prosciutto e fiche

Makes 12 crostini Extra virgin olive oil 1 or 2 ciabatta or baguettes, cut into 12 slices 2cm thick 3 x 100g balls of mozzarella, each ball cut into 4 pieces 6 slices of prosciutto, each slice cut in half 6 figs, halved 2 tablespoons runny honey

1 2 3

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C

“

Brush a baking tray with olive oil and place the ciabatta slices on the tray. Top each piece of bread with a slice of mozzarella and ham.

Bake in the oven until the mozzarella softens, but don’t allow it to melt completely.

Remove from the oven and top each crostino with half a fig. Drizzle with olive oil and a little honey and eat immediately.

The best figs are the small, late-season settembrini, which are available in September.

4

Eileen says:

In August, when the fig trees are laden down with fruits hidden amongst the huge leaves and fallen figs burst open to form a sweet nectared carpet at the base of the trees, it’s time to pull out the fig recipes. Baked crostini are a delicious starter, and creamy melted mozzarella, salty prosciutto and honeyed figs are a sublime combination

taste 75

“

taste

Global warming Every culture has its go-to comfort foods, none more so than those of us blessed with cold, wet and windy winter weather. Of course, nothing can beat a steaming bowl of stew, but other cultures have their own guaranteed pickme-ups. Stephen Meyler checks out a few

Brazil Although Brazil doesn’t really do winter, there’s always a time when a hot bowl of something unctuous is the only meal that will do, and there can’t be any food more comforting than this slow-cooked soup of spicy black beans flavoured with as many types of cured pork as you can find – the same basic idea as pea and ham soup, but much better!

The lovely people at Taste of Brazil restaurant in Dublin (32 Parliament Street, Dublin 2, 01-675 9973, info@ tasteofbrazil.ie) have given us their version of the Brazilian classic to try out.

Feijoada nobre This Brazilian national dish has its origins among the African slaves brought into Brazil during the era of Portuguese empire in South America.

The slaves created feijoada as their basic meal. At that time, they used the fat and salt to conserve it. It was after it was discovered by the royal court that Feijoada conquered the whole country.

250g dried black beans. To cook easily, soak overnight, then drain 100g smoked bacon, cut in small cubes 100g smoked pork ribs, cut in pieces that can fit in the pan, but not too small 100g smoked pork sausages, cut in thin slices 100g pork loin, cut in small cubes 2 medium onions, chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 bunch fresh spring onions, finely chopped 2 dried bay leaves 1 fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon olive oil, for cooking A pinch of cumin Salt to taste

To serve 400g steamed rice, 1 whole orange, cut in slices, 100g braised kale or cabbage and 100g of farofa (toasted cassava flour, indispensable for Brazilians).

1 2 3

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan with a fitted lid, add all the pork meat with the onion, garlic, parsley, spring onions and braise for around 8 minutes.

Add the black beans and continue to braise for 2 minutes.

Add just enough water to cover (about 600ml) and add the orange juice, bay leaves, a pinch of cumin and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for around 3 hours, or until the beans are soft and the meat is tender. If there is too much liquid in the pot, take the lid off in the last hour. The slower you cook it, the tastier it will be.

A shorter method is to use a pressure cooker in batches for 35 minutes, then open, check the water level and if it needs more, fill it more. Then, check the seasoning and add salt if necessary. The final result should have the consistency of a stew, with all the meat and beans very tender.

Serve with rice, orange slices, braised kale or cabbage and farofa.

4

Tip! There are many ways to cook a

real Brazilian feijoada – this is one that is achievable at home in Ireland. Some elements that Brazilians really like are smoked ribs, which may be hard to find in Ireland and the farofa, which you can make yourself or find in some ethnic food shops.

taste 77

taste e

ip c e r r Cove

Gluten-free Black Forest cake Makes one 20cm triple-layer cake, serving 10-12 Chocolate sponge: 9 large eggs 275g light brown sugar 120g cocoa powder Cherry juice or cherry liqueur, for soaking the sponges.

1 2

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/ gas mark 4. Grease 3 20cm sandwich tins and line with parchment paper.

Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the cocoa powder and mix until it is all incorporated.

In a separate bowl and using clean beater, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Gently fold a quarter of the whisked egg whites into the batter, to loosen it. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold through until just combined. Be careful not to overmix as it will knock out the air from the egg whites.

Divide the batter between the three sandwich tins and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until inserted skewer comes out clean.

Removed from the oven and leave the cakes to cool in their tins. They will shrink slightly and come away from the edge of the tins.

If any of the cakes are domed, trim the tops to ensure a flat surface for stacking. Make several holes in the cooled sponge with a skewer, then brush some of the cherry juice or liqueur over the top of the cakes. Repeat two or three times, until all the juice or liqueur is used up.

3 4

“

“

Martha says:

This gluten-free version of the classic Black Forest cake was created by our head chef Daniel. It has a light, moist texture, which complements the chocolate and cherry flavours nicely

82 taste

5 6 7

taste Spicy buttery turkey with feta & giant couscous salad Serves 4 200g giant couscous or quinoa 30g butter, softened 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 4 turkey breast steaks 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper 1 red onion, finely sliced 300g ripe vine tomatoes, roughly chopped 100g black olives 100g feta cheese, crumbled Small bunch of fresh mint leaves, chopped Juice and zest of ½ lemon 30g mixed seeds 4 good handfuls of mixed leaves

1 2 3

4 5

90 taste

“

David says:

Turkey, feta and couscous are staples in my diet, so I’m always trying new ways to eat them. Varying your ingredients can give you completely different flavours and as a result, a different meal. In this recipe I mix together butter, chilli and garlic to make a great-tasting paste that adds so much flavour to the turkey.

Couscous and quinoa are healthy, slowreleasing carbohydrates that by themselves are bland, but stirring them through some simple ingredients can give them a new lease of life

“

Cook the couscous or quinoa as per the packet instructions and drain well. Meanwhile, mix the butter, chilli and garlic into a paste.

Toss the turkey in 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat until it’s smoking hot. Cook the turkey on the hot pan for 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Transfer to a plate, dot with the spicy butter and set aside to let it melt. Once the butter has melted, slice the turkey.

Tip the onion, tomatoes, olives, feta and mint into a bowl. Stir through the cooked couscous or quinoa along with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, zest and seeds, and season well.

Place a handful of mixed leaves on four plates, divide the salad between them and put the sliced turkey on top, drizzled with any buttery turkey juices.

taste 1 2

3 6

5

4

10

of the best

10

10 accessories no kitchen can be without this winter.

7

8

9

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

€129, Braun Spin Juicer €275, Nespresso Citiz €112, DeLonghi Kettle €99.99, Russell Hobbs Glass Kettle €499, Kenwood Mix Pop Art €135, Kenwood Hand Blender €29.99, Russell Hobbs Mix & Go €40, American Originals Cake Maker 9. €89, Kenwood Hand Mixer 10. €12, Tiger Drink Dispenser

taste 95